What's Hidden in Shadows
by White Fairy Writer
Summary: Splinter always knew someone else lived down there with them. Now, he had proof. The Shadow Girl...
1. Chapter 1

_**I own nothing related to TMNT. This is for pure fun and entertainment to those who read it.**_

~(0)~

I always knew we weren't alone down here.

My sons and I call these sewers our home, but we were naïve to think we were its only inhabitants. I never really saw her, she came in the shadows every night my sons went out to patrol the city. She never came in unless she was certain I couldn't see her.

But I knew.

She was a mystery. She came in the night, and she would take things from us. Usually, it was only food. A blanket every now and then. But for what she took, she would leave double. Many a morning my sons and I would awaken to find breakfast on the table, a cup of tea by my bedside, Raphael's punching bag resewn. My sons always believed the other, or me, to have done the courteous deed, but I knew there had to be something more.

I knew there was a living shadow in the sewers with us.

I always wanted to thank her, to meet her...But she was gone before I ever had a chance. It was like there were escape hatches throughout my home for her use. She would disappear into a room, and when I would investigate the occurrence, she was gone. But I knew she was like us, she wouldn't want to be discovered, although she had found us. I wondered if she was homeless, or lost, or how long she had resided below the surface, but I knew I couldn't pry. It wouldn't be honorable.

I knew I wouldn't like someone to stick their noses in my business.

So whenever my sons disappeared, I knew she would come. It was always safer then, with only one being left. My sons were younger than I, they had more energy, they could catch her if they wanted to.

I was older, I couldn't catch her.

And I didn't want to.

I tended to wonder if she knew that _I _knew, if she would one day come out of the shadows and speak to me, face to face. Such a foolish wish, I knew she would never be so bold. Still...

_A little while later, when the four brothers had gone out patrolling, and Master Splinter was meditating..._

I was at peace. _Breath in, out._ _Calm yourself, find your center. _My eyes were shut, my blind blank, and then there was a creak. My eyes opened a fraction, the sound of a door being shut sighed inside the lair. I turned my head slowly, watching the Living Shadow. Her hair was a matted brown, covering her eyes. She was wearing dirty jeans, a hoodie, her skin was pale, and she moved quickly, barefoot, across the main floor.

I stood up, and suddenly she stiffened, her wide, frantic blue eyes startled as she saw me. She gasped, a shocked look on her face.

"Hello." I murmured.

She didn't speak, and suddenly she bolted, running across the lair and disappearing into Michelangelo's room. The door slammed shut behind her, and I walked toward my son's room, knowing it would be empty once I got there. I opened the door, and all that was inside were Michelangelo's video games.


	2. The Shadow Girl

_Run! Run! _The thoughts came quickly, and suddenly she was out their home and in the sewers. The girl was running as fast as she could, knowing the the rat would soon be after her. She suddenly skidded to a halt, finding a tiny little crack between two bricks and prying the wall apart, sliding it shut behind her and then running again. She jumped onto a vine covered wall, grabbing one and scaling it quickly, disappearing over the top, and still moving. The little alcove above had been created with time, but it was essential for criss crossing the sewers at a time like this.

The rocky floor gave way to a metal one, and the barefoot brunette slowed down to pad across the old metal pipes. The tubes had been put in a long time ago, but eventually forgotten in the depths of the sewer. The Shadow Girl didn't mind, it had become one of her routes to get around with. The sound of water reached her ears, and she shuddered. She was high up, and knew falling meant certain death. She paused at a precipice, and slowly sat down, feeling the cold metal underneath her. She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and then pushed herself over the edge.

A whoosh of air came flying at her as she fell down the slide, pushing her brown locks from her sweaty face. A smile tugged at her lips, whoever planned this sewer had to be crazy. The pipes curved, for whatever exact purpose was beyond her, creating a slide the Shadow Girl loved to ride. Momentum threw the girl off the slide, but she was ready, hopping to her feet without incident. She almost giggled, but kept her voice hidden.

The tunnels liked to echo.

She _couldn't_ echo...He would find her...

When you live your life in the sewers, you get used to darkness. You learn to trust every other sense you have, touch, sound, smell, and you use it to your advantage. The Shadow Girl didn't need her eyes to know where she was going. She hopped over a fallen pipe, took a right, and found herself in an another alcove. She felt along the wall, found the old light switch, and turned it on. Her little home flickered into being.

It wasn't as elaborate as the Turtles', it was more homely. There was a couch and a bed, a table, a little bookshelf with a few volumes on its shelves, and some odds and ends the girl had used to decorate her home with. She didn't need much more, this was enough for her. The Shadow Girl moved again, quickly collapsing on her bed.

_He saw me...He _saw _me..._

The thoughts swirled quickly, panicked, unnerved. What would happen to her if she was found? Would she be forced back to the surface? Would he hurt her? She _did_ know their secrets, she had been spying on them for years. She hadn't meant to meet them, she spotted them on a scavenger run. They were so different, she couldn't help herself, she had followed them home. Ever since then, she had been watching them. It was weird, ninjas being spied on by some girl, but she watched. They never saw her, she was always hidden.

She had created escape hatches throughout their lair, ways to slip in and out unnoticed. She had built many, she could get into almost every area of their home if she wanted. Sometimes, they would have something she needed to survive, and she'd take it. The guilt always plagued her, and in return she did something nice for them. She worried they would figure it out, that someone else was down here, but they really were total idiots. Even the smart one...

How could someone live down here? It was unthinkable to them, that someone "normal" could reside in the darkness below the city. That someone with a choice would choose to live in the confusing, multi-layered, complex system that made up New York City's Sewer System. The Shadow Girl took a deep breath, calming herself. She would have to go back, she would have to know if Master Splinter had told his sons, if they were going to set a trap for her...She knew each of the brothers, and their father, and she dreaded what would happen if they actually caught her. But she had to go back...

~(0)~

Night came and went, the sun rose high above New York City and eventually was hidden by skyscrapers. Below that, a wide, blue eyed girl stood in front of one of her trap doors. Carefully, she unlocked it, pushing it open and pulling herself up. It was a floor door, one she had carved so she would be stepping into the turtles' home, not dropping into it. She carefully pulled herself into the room. This was one of her safest ways in and out, she had built it in a storage closet. Listening carefully, the Shadow Girl opened the closest door to an empty room.

Silence.

No one jumped out at her, no one attacked her, there was simply silence. The smoke of incense was drifting up, but Master Splinter himself was no where in sight. Cautiously, the girl moved to the kitchen where a piece of paper had been left on the table. She knew it was meant for her, who else could it possibly be for?

_Child,_

_I know not why you choose to come and go into my sons and I's lives without ever a proper introduction. I thank you for everything you have done for us over the years, I know it must be you who does the kind deeds. I wish to make your acquaintance, I mean you no harm. Please take what you need, and come when you feel ready. I am not your enemy, I wish you no ill will. I will be waiting._

_Sincerely,  
__Master Splinter_

The girl's mind went blank. He wanted to meet her? Why? The Shadow Girl didn't know what to do, and did the only thing she could do.

She disappeared.


	3. Out Of Hiding

I didn't know if she would come. Truthfully, I doubted I'd ever see the girl again. My sons could sense my unease, but I could always assuage their confusion by telling them I simply worried over their safety. Many days went by, many nights, and a week came and passed. My sons went out to protect the city that never knew about them, every night without fail.

And every night, I would wait for the ghost to walk among the living.

"Sensei, you alright? You seem a little...loopy." Michelangelo asked one night, his usual carefree expression morphed into one of concern.

"I am fine, my son. Do not worry about me." I smiled. "What you _should_ be worrying about, however, is that pitiful fighting stance of yours. A gust of wind could knock you over!"

"Hey!" Michelangelo yelped. "My stance is...sorta good. 'Sides, I haven't been brought down by a Foot Ninja, now have I?" my youngest son smirked. I shook my head.

"Don't talk back to him, Mikey." Leonardo warned from across the room. My eldest was practicing his forms, his katanas slicing through the air with ease. "And you have the worst stance of all of us anyway." He said with a smug expression.

"_Hey_!" Mikey said, and Raphael laughed.

"How 'bout we go work on that, Mikey? Test out your 'abilities' topside. You in?" Raphael snorted, looking mockingly at his brother.

"I'm in." Michelangelo replied immediately.

"Second that." A muffled voice called from the direction of Donatello's laboratory.

"If you three are going then you'll need someone to watch your shells." Leonardo sighed, sheathing his swords. "You three would get into trouble without me."

"Or because of you." Mikey chuckled. A withering look was all the reply my youngest got.

"You'll be alright by yourself, Master?" Leonardo asked, coming to stand before me. I smiled softly at him, he made me so, so proud. He was becoming quite the ninja, and an honorable turtle as well. He had a kind heart, and I was proud to call this blue masked turtle my son.

"Of course, Leonardo. My stories come on soon, I will be fine." I told him, and he nodded an 'alright'.

"Ya comin', Leo?" Raphael called out. "Move yer shell, Ninja-Boy!" He smirked, and Leonardo ran racing after his red masked brother. Raphael had an unusual outlook on life, one filled with violence. But he was slowly maturing, losing his anger toward the world, slowly, but surely. One day, he would be proud of himself.

The lair became quiet after my sons left, the silence overwhelming. It was odd, I craved the solitude of silence when my sons were home, creating havoc in their boyish ways, but when they were gone, all I wanted was noise. It meant they were home, that they were safe... I started walking across the lair, passing the doorway to the dojo...and then backing up to see what I thought I had seen.

She was here.

The Shadow Girl was _here_.

Her hair had been pulled back into a limp pony tail, she was still wearing an overlarge sweatshirt, jeans. Her eyes were nervous, hesitant, looking from me and then the slight turn of the head backwards to indicate a want of escape. She was biting her bottom lip nervously,a trace of fear in her face. It was...unusual.

"Hello, child." I murmured, and she simply closed her mouth tightly. "Please, come here. I won't hurt you." The girl moved toward me slowly, and as she passed me by her eyes stayed glue to my person, watching for any sign of trickery or deceit. "Please, let's sit at the table like civilized folks." I instructed, and she moved to do as I asked.

She took a seat across from me, her hands folded in her lap carefully. She watched as I moved around her, going into the kitchen.

"Would you like something to eat? My sons ordered an extra pizza." I offered. The girl nodded slowly, and I started making two plates. "What would you like? Pepperoni? Anchovies or olives?" She shook her head, and I smiled. "Cheese?" She nodded. "I enjoy cheese as well. There is nothing quite like the original, is there?" I spoke. She nodded in agreement, and I placed the plate in front of her. She waited until I sat down and begun eating before she devoured hers. _Her manners are polite...I wonder how she came across them in the sewers?_ I mused. She finished her pizza slices, and waited for me to finish mine. I swallowed the last bite, and knew it was time to start asking questions. Whether she would answer or not...I wasn't sure. I wasn't actually sure she had a voice, I never once heard her in all the years we had lived together in the sewers. And for a ninja to not hear an enemy, another shadow, that was something to be praised...or be wary of.

"What is your name, child?" I began. She looked at me almost unsure. Names are sacred, special, I could understand why she wouldn't want to give hers up. "How old are you?" I tried. Silence was my response. "Why did you decide to move into the sewers?" A reasonable question, I thought. The girl didn't reply, and I sighed. _This may be a bit more complicated than I anticipated..._ "It is perfectly alright to maintain your silence. I will respect your decision." I told her calmly. "But while you're here, may I ask something of you?" the girl looked at me, curious, slightly confused. She nodded. "I would like to get to know you better, a girl who can out-hide me is a very interesting person indeed." I chuckled. "You're aware not many can do that, correct? Not even my eldest, Leonardo, has been able to thwart me in that regard. But then again, you are the Shadow Girl, aren't you?" I chuckled. She almost smiled at that, but averted her eyes to the floor. "You may not see it, but you are a very unique individual, someone worth getting to know." I told her calmly, truthfully. "Each person has a unique, individual aspect about themselves that no one else can quite duplicate. When we take the time to truly look for this special talent, the world becomes a better place because of it."

I stood up, moving to take the paper plates to the trash. She watched me with her eyes, possibly considering what I had told her, maybe wondering if I was crazy. I took my seat opposite her again, this girl with no name, no history, and no reason to trust me. She had watched us for some time, but that did not make us friends, nor did it make us enemies. I didn't know why she had decided to come tonight, what thoughts swirled through her head, why she didn't just move farther into the sewers and forever make sure we would never chance across each other again.

The Shadow Girl nodded, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Thank you for trusting me, child."


	4. The Girl

_**Random tidbit: In Japanese, "Kage" is pronounced Kah-gay.**_

_**~(0)~**_

The girl and I have fallen into a routine. Every night after my sons have gone topside, she appears out of nowhere. But when my sons return home, she is always gone before I even have the chance to warn her. I still didn't know her name, or anything about her, but still she comes. It was something I couldn't fully comprehend, why would she continue to come into my home if she wasn't going to tell me anything?

The night of our formal 'introduction', I tried to get her to open up to me. Little things, her favorite color, television show, even her favorite genre of music. She didn't speak, and slowly I came to realize this silence was ingrained into her. Had it been by choice? Necessity? Had it been for survival? Whatever the reason, it was fully locked into the mystery of her past...and for some odd reason she had simply shut off her vocal chords.

The minute my sons voices could be heard, the girl disappeared. Her name was still unknown, as well as where I could find her in the sewers.

"I taught that Dragon a lesson." Raphael was smirking.

"That was all _my_ handiwork, thank you very much." Michelangelo retorted, rushing into our home. "Sensei, is there any pizza left?"

"A few slices, my son." I replied, and turned to my red masked son. "Raphael, remember, violence is only the last resort. A ninja should find other options before turning to lethality." I told him solemnly. Raphael shook his head, but muttered a 'Yes, Sensei' before hiding himself in his room.

"Who ate all the cheese?!" Michelangelo cried out._ No, nothing has changed._ I thought, smiling. As night turned to day, my thoughts turned to the girl. I wondered if I would see her again. She obviously didn't trust my sons, that much was obvious, but why? She had nodded at my request of confidence, so I knew she would come again. I contemplated telling my sons about her, but finally decided to keep her secret for my own. My sons were still training, trying to be the best they could, and I was seeing a rapid progression in their skills. They were becoming fine warriors, fine men, I was so proud of them.

The sun went down, the moon rose, and my sons left to patrol the city above. I only partially wondered if the girl would appear, and by the time I had made myself something to eat she was seated at the table.

"Ah, hello, child." I chuckled. "You startled me. Would you like some lo mien? There is some Chinese takeout left over from my sons dinner." She nodded slowly, and we ate together in silence. I watched the girl calmly, noticing the traces of unease and awkwardness that accompanied someone who felt out of place in their environment. I took her plate to the sink, and when I turned back she was gone. "Child?" I called out "Girl?"

The brunette appeared as if summoned.

"How do you do that?" I shook my head, a small smile on my face. "Would you like to go for a walk?" I asked. "I haven't been out of this house all day, and I hear there's a full moon tonight." The girl nodded, and I moved to enter the tunnels. At first, I thought the girl hadn't followed, but when I looked she was right behind me. _She truly is a shadow..._ I marveled. I paused beneath a metal grate, letting the cool moonlight fall on me. The girl was standing at the edge of the light, hesitant, but the light above was making her subtle blond highlights stand out. "You know you have nothing to fear from me." I began. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable, child," I thought over what I just said, and frowned. "and I certainly don't want to simply call you 'Girl' like you are some wild animal. Do you have something you would like me to call you? A nickname? No?" the girl didn't respond, and I sighed. _She is being unreasonable!_ I grumbled, but then chided my thoughts.

Leonardo had gone through a phase like this once, and my sons and I had to be patient until Leonardo found a reason to speak again. This girl had a similar case, something transpired to make her mute, and until she found the courage to talk again there was nothing I could do. I smiled at her, and nodded, and then started moving along the tunnels again.

"It's a nice night." I commented. "Not to brisk, not to cold, and the moon is simply spectacular!" I looked at the girl, who was nodding in agreement. "This is a good omen, I believe it will be quite a year, don't you agree?" the girl and I made a simple loop of the sewer, and then we entered the lair again. I was keeping up this one-sided conversation, the girl nodding every now and then, and I motioned her to sit beside me on the sofa. "If you don't have a name you would prefer me calling you, would you mind if I gave you one?" I asked her, and she looked surprised. I could practically see the question in her eyes, 'Why would you bother giving me a name?' I sighed, she had obviously not been in contact with others in quite some time. "Because," I started. "I care." her eyes widened, and then dropped to the floor. "With your unique set of skills, your disappearing act, I know a name that fits you quite perfectly." I chuckled. Ever since the tunnels, and I had asked for a name with no reply, a name had been floating in my mind. It was simple, but an identity all the same. "How do you feel about Kage? It is from my homeland, it means shadow."

She looked surprised, and almost smiled at the name. She nodded, her eyes twinkling at the prospect of a name that was exactly her. I smiled back, happy to have been able to give her a semblance of normal. And it was definitely better than calling her 'girl' or 'child' like she was some stray dog.

"We kicked the Foot outta town! They ain't gonna mess with us anytime soon." Michelangelo was laughing, and I turned to watch my sons enter the lair. I turned back to Kage, wanting to warn her even though it was to late.

She was gone.

"Kage..." I murmured, shaking my head in disbelief. There was no possible way for the girl to vanish just like that!

"Huh, ya say somethin' Masta Splintah?" Raphael asked. "Who's Kage?"

"Ah, a character in one of my stories." I chuckled. "Very unique individual. Very unique indeed."

"So you had a quiet evening?" Leonardo asked politely.

"Very tranquil, nothing amiss." I responded. "How was the world above?"

"It was actually pretty quiet for us, too. Well, until the Foot showed up..." Leonardo trailed off.

"But we sent them back to where they came from." Donatello added.

"That is good news." I murmured. "But the increase in activity is troublesome, the Dragons yesterday, Foot tonight...With the Shredder gone I would've expected things to die down. Has a new leader risen for evil?"

"We're not sure, that's why we decided to call it a night. We left a mark for whoever's in charge, we just gotta find out who that is." Donatello sighed.

"This is worrisome indeed." I mused.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Raphael spoke up. "We've kicked evil's butt once before, we can do it again."

"Yeah, don't worry, Sensei." Leonardo agreed, and my sons went to do whatever turtles do in their down time.

"Yes, but at what cost?" I whispered sadly once they had gone. "At what cost?"

The girl came each night when I was alone, and she seemed to be a little warmer than when we first met. She lit up like a Christmas tree when I called her by the name I had chosen, and I wondered when was the last time someone had called her by something endearing. I started to teach her to meditate, and some tai chi, and she seemed to like it. We were kindred spirits in a way, and she seemed to like having someone nearby. In return, she made dinner and cleaned the house, straightened up, even went into Michelangelo's disastrous room and put it in a semblance of order. She was orderly, efficient, and someone I looked forward to seeing when the sun went down.

Of course, my sons thought _I _was the one doing all this housework...If they knew the truth, I wondered how they would react. They had welcomed Miss April O'Neil and Casey Jones into our lives without worry while I had second guessed the decision, but this was different. This was a girl who knew everything about us, but could my sons accept her knowing that? I truthfully wasn't sure, and I worried over the consequences of breaking Kage's confidence. But when night came around, Kage appeared, and I tried to not worry, even as evil's activity starting rising on the surface world above. As much as I worried about my predicament with Kage, I was exceedingly worried each time my sons went to the surface world above. Something was beginning, something dark and twisted, and I knew a new chapter in our lives would soon begin.


	5. The Flower

Kage. Kah-gay. Two syllables...She liked it. The blue eyed girl had a name again, and while it matched what she was, it didn't exactly match _who_ she was. No one _wanted_ to have to hide, but when there was no other choice...It was weird, having someone know you would be coming by every night and spending time with you, expecting a friend. Being called by name...well, it was different.

She came rushing into the lair the next night excited, her eyes twinkling in glee. Mr. Splinter was running through a tai chi routine, and when he glimpsed Kage he stood still, smiling.

"Ah, Kage, how was your day?" Mr. Splinter asked pleasantly. The brunette ran up to the rat, taking his paw in her hand and tugging him toward the sewers. "What is it? Is something amiss?" Mr. Splinter asked alarmed. Kage shook her head, a grin on her face as she motioned him toward the sewers again. "Do you want to show me something?" Kage nodded, letting go of Mr. Splinter's hand and moving into the doorway that separated the sewers from the lair like home. "Alright then, lead the way." Mr. Splinter said, and Kage took off like a shot. Her brown hair disappeared into the black sewers, and she disappeared into the shadows. She didn't realize she had left Mr. Splinter behind until he called out to her. She gasped, looking over her shoulder to find her friend no where in sight, and then bolted back up the sewers to where the rat was standing still, looking around confused. _Oh Mr. Splinter..._ Kage thought amused. It was funny, how could someone who'd lived here so long not know their way around? And he was a _rat_ too!

The brunette rushed out of the darkness to stand beside her elder, who did a double take at finding her by his side. He gaped, and Kage silently giggled. She took his paw again, and walked him into the shadowy world she was accustomed to.

"Where are we going, Kage?" Mr. Splinter asked, and she just smiled secretively at him. She took him to a dead end, and he looked at her curiously. "What are you...?" He trailed off, at a loss. She moved toward a corner where a bunch of bricks had been pried up, enough for a person, or rat to fit through and fall to the floor below them. Kage sat down, her legs dangling in the whole and looked up at him. "I am _not_ going down that hole." Mr. Splinter said firmly, stepping away from the shadow girl. Kage gave him a pointed look, shook her head, and let herself fall. "Kage!" Mr. Splinter called out shocked, and the girl grinned as she bounced up off a small trampoline. Another body fell from the story above, and the rat let out a surprised gasp as he bounced off the ground. "My, oh my." He murmured, and Kage giggled noiselessly. "How did you...How long has that...Where exactly are we going?" Mr. Splinter finally sighed.

She smiled and took his paw, leading him further into the sewers. Kage knew the Mr. Splinter could tell when the rocky floor gave way to a metal one by the hesitant steps forward, the slight pause as he measured each step. She gave him a patient look, and then sat down at the edge of the pipes. She patted the seat next to her, and nervously Mr. Splinter did as she wanted. Kage knew this could be a bad idea, letting someone else know about some of her hidden doors, travel routes, even this slide, but she wanted someone to know about her world. And if that meant sharing some of her secret passageways, so be it. Mr. Splinter had become a good friend since she started going to the lair, and she wanted to show him he could trust him too.

Making sure his paw was tight in her hand, she pushed off the edge of the slide, and with gravity on her side they started falling.

"AHH!" Mr. Splinter shouted, probably thinking they were falling to their doom. She made sure he was ready when the edge of the slide came up, and they both flew off the edge, landing on their feet like cats. "You are never, _ever_, to do that to me again." He warned her breathless, and Kage grinned, moving forward. "Hm, Michelangelo mentioned he had found a slide once. I didn't believe him...He was right." Mr. Splinter was muttering, and Kage rolled her eyes. She led him up and over a wall, through a trap door leading up, and eventually to a straight-a-way wrapped in darkness. If it had been someone unfamiliar to darkness's grasp, with no see-in-the-dark eyesight, a trip down this corridor would be a very bad idea.

But Kage had gone down this hallway many time, knew where she was by feel and foot placement, and could see fairly well given her humanity. She led him down into darkness, and finally she could see the light beam that fell from the street above their heads. It was challenging getting where you needed to go in the sewers, and most of the time getting around by simply staying on the same sewer level was complicated. So to compensate, Kage had learned to travel on every level, with ways to get above and below her through trap doors, ropes and pulleys, locks, and even taking apart the sewer floor. In the end, it was worth it. In the one ray of light from the city world above, now just a weak ray of moonlight, a beautiful little flower was struggling against all odds to flourish in the darkness.

"Oh my..." Mr. Splinter breathed, and Kage nodded, smiling. It's petals were a fluffy light pink, with oval like leaves. "An Ageratum." Mr. Splinter breathed, surprised. "How beautiful. It's said their blooms never die, and it seems like this little flower agrees with that statement. And how amazing to find a pink one, usually they're blue. But pink..." Mr. Splinter marveled, and shook his head in amazement. "How did this little plant get down here? How incredulous."

Kage didn't know the answer, she just knew it was a testament of beauty and perseverance. She had found it on a scavenger run, and was completely floored by it. Usually, she saw ugly weeds that grew in the sewers depths, but this little...what did he call it? Agertin? Agertum? Well, something like that, it had surprised her. Something so pretty, holding on in the sewers below New York. It was truly awe inspiring.

"How beautiful." Mr. Splinter murmured, and that was really all he could say. "How amazing."

~(0)~

"Leo, we _got_ to tell him." Raph shouted, quickly round kicking his Purple Dragon opponent.

"It would break his heart, Raph! You know Master Splinter, he loves us." Leo replied, disarming his opponent with his katannas.

"We're of legal age, it's not like everyone topside wouldn't eventually do it." Donnie called out.

"I don't know, guys, it seems a little risky." Miky sighed. The four brothers were taking out a group of Purple Dragons who had been on a mugging spree, and all the while wrestling with a question they had all been considering. "Master Splinter could get a little mad."

"It's not like we wouldn't come to see him. You're acting like we're planning to drop off the map, Mikey." Raph snorted.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to." Donnie shrugged, punching a Purple Dragon in the stomach. "It's your choice."

"Well..." The orange masked turtle sighed.

"Behind you, Raph!" Leo called out, and the red masked turtle hook kicked his assailant.

"Thanks, Fearless!"

"Donnie, we gotta get to the roof, would you stop playing with that guy?" Leo sighed, and Donnie quickly knocked his Purple Dragon out. The four seemed to disappear, and if you happened to be looking up you would have seen four shapes roof hopping. They finally all came to a stop at the top of a roof edge, looking out over the city.

"Come on, Mike, we're brothers, one for all and all for one, right?" Donnie spoke.

"I guess..."

"It'll be fine, Mikey." Raph snorted. "It's not the worst thing in the world you know."

"I know, but-"

"No buts." Raph cut in.

"I even found us a spot." Leo told his brother encouragingly. "It's perfect."

"It's simple, tomorrow morning we tell Master Splinter we're moving out."


	6. Decisions Made

She found me tonight in silence.

Silence.

Comatose in mind, spirit, and body, she looked at me unsure. Comatose, she covered me with a blanket and helped me lie on the sofa I had been sitting on. Unable to truly feel my hand, she held it as my mind crashed and roared, swirling with memories of moments that transpired only hours ago. _How could this be? We are a _family_..._

_~(0)~_

"_Father?" Leonardo had murmured, walking into my meditation room. I opened my eyes slowly, looking at the blue masked turtle before me. He bowed, and I nodded my head in return._

"_Leonardo." I replied. "Is something the matter?" I asked, seeing waves of uncertainty and unease in his eyes. His dark eyes shifted to the floor, almost guilty, before he spoke again._

"_My brothers and I need to talk to you, could you come into the main room for a moment?" He said, and I looked at him confused. _Leonardo is rarely unsure, he is firm in all decisions, what could be plaguing him so?_ I stood and followed my eldest into the main room where my three other boys were sitting. Raphael looked bored, Donatello looked normal, and Michelangelo looked nervous. What could possibly be going on?_

"_My sons, to what do I owe the pleasure of a family meeting?" I chuckled, and the brothers looked between each other for a moment._

"_We've been together a long time." Leonardo began. "We're a family, and we always will be." _

"_You are my sons, nothing can change that." I agreed. "I love each of you beyond measure."_

"_And we feel the same way, Sensei." Donatello responded. "There's no real way to say this, but..." Donatello trailed off, his eyes clouding over as his gaze fell to the ground._

"_We wanna move out." Raphael spoke up. Silence descended upon the family, complete and utter silence. _

"_Excuse me?" I finally replied, shocked._ _My seemed to have skipped a beat as the blood in my body ran cold._

"_Sensei, everyone topside eventually leaves the nest to go their own way. We're not like them, but we deserve the same chances, the same opportunities." Donatello spoke, his eyes lighting up. "We deserve to be able to have a home that is _ours_. Not just the lair, but places that are just for us...and I'm not talking about getting bigger rooms." Donatello chuckled. "Everyone in the world above eventually leaves their homes, whether to go to college or just to have their own place. We may not look the same, but the people above are a lot like us."_

"_What kind of talk is this?" I bristled. "I thought I had raised you four better. You do not just desert your own father for selfish wishes!"_

"_We're not deserting you, Sensei." Michelangelo suddenly spoke up. "We would never do that, never."_

"_And would you like to repeat the statement Raphael made?" I questioned, an eyebrow raised. My son wisely didn't respond. "Leonardo, I am ashamed of you. Of all you four, I would've expected such a ludicrous thought to be above you of all turtles!" My eldest, oddly enough, didn't take Michelangelo's wise response to heart._

"_You raised me to be who I am today!" Leonardo responded hotly. "You taught me honor and respect, family and loyalty-"_

"_Did I?" I said calmly, my heart feeling like a stone._

"_But we can't just stay down here forever!" Leonardo shouted angrily. "A ninja's journey can't keep him tied to one place, he must move on, see what hasn't been seen. You think you're helping us by keeping us down here, 'safe', but we've learned all we can by your teachings! There are other things out there, things even _you_ can't teach us!"_

_I took a step away from my son, feeling like he had physically slapped me. I didn't care if my mouth was hanging slightly open, or even that my eyes were wide in shock. Today was not an ordinary day..._

"_It's not like we won't come back and visit, we will." Michelangelo hastily put in as Donatello moved to Leonardo's side, trying to calm his flared animosity. _

"_Sensei, if you love something, set it free. If it doesn't come back, it wasn't meant to be." Raphael spoke up, his dark brown eyes catching mine. _

"_Emily Dickinson." I finished for him, nodding approvingly. He might be the hot head of the group, but he obviously knew his literature._

"_So...we're gonna go." Donatello said, making sure he was between me and Leonardo. He was casting the latter warning looks, and Leonardo just shrugged them off, storming towards the lair door. _

"_We moved all our stuff out already, I actually cleaned up my room." Michelangelo joked uneasily. I smiled softly, letting Raphael escort me to the couch and sit down. _

"_We'll come and visit, we swear. We just need to see what's out there, you can understand that, right? Donatello wants to be able to have a full course load on some online college, and with all the crazy around here that's slightly impossible. Mike can have a full week long movie marathon or game-a-thon if he wants without one of us getting in his way, you know how serious he is about all that. He was actually thinking about writing a paper on some dumb movie he watched. This could be good for him, help him grow. And Leo...ya gotta give him time, Sensei. You've kept him under your thumb a really long time, and I doubt ya ever realized it." Raphael was saying, his words slowly getting muffled by my mind-haze._

"_And you, Raphael? What about you?" I finally murmured, looking sluggishly at the red masked turtle._

"_Me? I ain't that sure, but that's why I gotta get outta here. To find out." He shrugged, and then called his brothers over. They created a line in front of me, made their right hand into a fist and placed it in their left, and slowly bowed in a show of respect. They rose together, always in unison, and then left. I watched each of my sons leave, frozen in place. My voice was locked from usage, and I could only stare ahead in dismay as my pride and joy walked away. _

_First was Leonardo, always in the lead. I didn't even know if he looked back, and if he didn't, would he regret it? His solemn figure was the last I saw as he disappeared, his place only to be taken by Donatello. My science minded son cast a glance back at me, and an emotion flickered in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came, and then so was he. Raphael followed suit, pausing in the doorway to turn back and wave, that cocky smile of his on his face, and then his smile, and he, were gone. My youngest was last. Fear was in his eyes, the fear that things could never go back to the way it was. The fear things were irrevocably unrepairable. He looked scared, but he looked toward his brothers, and then back at me. Of all my sons, it was obvious it was Michelangelo who was the most unsure. He didn't want to go, but he wanted to be with his brothers. I knew this day could come, but how could it? How? Michelangelo looked at a loss, the orange mask tails swinging back and forth as he looked back and forth between the two options. He sighed sadly, knowing whatever choice he made wouldn't go over well. _

"_Bye, Master." He whispered, then dashing away to catch up with his brothers. _

_They left, and I was alone. _

_Alone._

_With them went my spirit, and my heart cried out in sorrow as tear splashed into my fur._

_~(0)~_

The girl was gone, just as my anguished mind came back to the present.

"Kage?" I whispered hoarsely. The girl was back, almost immediately, with a cup and saucer in her hands. She set the cup down gently, helping me sit up and arranging the blanket comfortably around my body before handing me the cup of tea. She looked at me sadly, compassion in her eyes, and a half smile on her face. "They're gone. They're all...gone." I murmured. "They...left."

Kage didn't say anything, just sat beside me quietly, lending me silent support. _How could they leave? Did I do something that had regrettable consequences? _The questions whispered in my mind, adding doubt, uncertainty, shame. _Could I have forced my sons from my house? From our home?_ Kage didn't say anything, today would've been worse if she did. There had been to many revelations to upset everything, and besides, Kage couldn't talk. Otherwise, she would have spoken by now...right? The girl in question turned to me, tugging on my arm sleeve and pulling me up. She got in the first position of one of the routines I taught her, and she started the tai chi sequence, looking at me encouragingly to practice with her.

If anything, it was a distraction I gladly needed.

"Your stance is sloppy. Fix it." I muttered, and Kage immediately complied. "That's better...I guess." she smiled happily, and we continued.


	7. Thoughts

_**Lol, I love it. After the last chapter came out, everyone said one thing: 'Oh well, at least he got a daughter.' Who said he was getting a daughter? :)**_

It seemed...weird. The four brothers were gone. How could they leave Mr. Splinter? It seemed odd to Kage. They were a family, and family was supposed to stick together. Splinter seemed depressed, he didn't even stir when the sewer girl came into the room. And she no longer worried about walking in when the boys were around, they were never there anymore. Kage shook her head, it was so weird...

She had gone to spy on the brothers once. They had taken a block of the sewers and divided it into fours, with a section for each. Kage only worried about one thing, how close Michelangelo was to her slide. One day, he might actually catch her...Donatello was always busy on experiments and algorithms. He had even started teaching an online class in A.P. Physics for the brainiac variety of High School and College students. Without any more distractions, Donatello was scary smart. Most of the stuff he was scribbling on white boards went right over her head, and after making her own little entrance into the purple masked turtle's home, she moved on to the next.

Raphael's new 'home' looked like the typical bachelor's pad. In short, it was a mess. Kage was tempted to pick up the empty chip bags littering the floor, but thought better of it when the homeowner in question walked back through the room. Re and resewn punching bags hung from the ceiling, magazines littered tables, and Kage was pretty sure that without the phone and microwave, the usually hot headed turtle would've starved to death. She shook her head. It was absolutely crazy...how the heck had he survived with the others for so long without turning the lair into a total garbage dump?!

Leonardo's home was one of the most pristine, and that might've been because he was an over compulsive clean freak. Everything was in its perfect place. Nothing was out of order, and Kage got the feeling he liked the feeling of control. A bonzi tree was growing in a pot in the center of the room, mats covered the left side of the room, and that's where all of Leonardo's training equipment was stashed. The right side held a made bed, and all of Leonardo's most prized possessions. As Kage had known, Raphael and Leonardo were complete and utter opposites.

Her biggest concern, however, was left to her closest actual neighbor. His little 'house' was close to her usual scavenger run trails, normal out and about paths, and one of her usual holes for getting above and below the given floor. But after seeing Michelangelo's place, she breathed a tiny sigh of relief. He would get lost if he left his little house.

Kage just shook her head in disappointment. Sure, people grow up and leave, but they don't rip out their parents hearts in the process! She sighed, leaning against a sewer wall. She had made some secret entrances into each of the guys' new homes, just in case, and discovered there was a door linking all fours brothers homes together. They needed their brotherly bond after all. Standing up, Kage turned to scribble on the wall with a sharpie.

Milk, cheese, tea (Chamomile), peppermint

Was she forgetting anything? Since the boys were gone, Mr. Splinter had slipped into a depression. He couldn't even find the energy to go topside to get supplies! Kage had taken that over for him, knowing she would be more inconspicuous than the mutant rat. Kage didn't know what to do about him, she had been on her own for a long time and didn't need to worry about anyone else. But now...she felt she owed the older rat. He kept her secret, she had to help him.

"You're to good." he murmured after she got back to the lair with the supplies. "Chamomile..." he murmured, taking a sip. Kage just sat beside him, waiting. He would get out of his funk eventually, she just had to have patience.

~(0)~

"Huh." Mikey spoke, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at the wall before him.

Milk  
Cheese  
Tea (Chamomile)  
Peppermint

"Huh." he repeated, slightly confused. Who in their right minds wrote grocery lists on sewer walls? He cocked his head to the side, trying to get a better angle on the writing. It looked new...didn't make it new though. But who wrote on _sewer walls_? Mikey shook his head, completely and utterly confused. He had wanted to map out his new territory, and the first thing he came across in scribbly black writing was _this. _Huh. "Well okay then." he shook his head, and moved on. Something was up, definitely. As to what...the orange bandana'd turtle had no clue. _Maybe I should visit Master Splinter..._he thought, and decided to do that. In all honesty, he wasn't sure he liked having his own place. It felt so...quiet. There was no noise but what he made, and besides the movement of the controller and his every now and then ecstatic outbursts for beating a boss level, it was quiet.

Mikey hated that.

The way back to the lair was instinctual, and Mikey sped up when the light from the lair creeped out into the tunnel. At first, Mikey worried someone had gotten in. Master Splinter was always good at locking up after his brother and him left, so why hadn't he locked up this time?

"Don't worry about that, I can do it." Mikey heard his father murmur, and Mikey's forehead furrowed slightly. Who was he talking to? Was April down here? Casey? "Where did-"

"Sensei?" Mikey called out uncertainly. The rat was standing in the middle of the room, looking around himself perplexed.

"Ah." Sensei smiled, seeming to come to some sort of understanding. His father chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "How are you, my son? Is your new home to your liking?" Sensei asked, and Mikey came towards his father.

"It's okay, I guess." he shrugged back. "How've you been without us? You okay?" Mikey asked hesitantly.

"It's been a change, certainly. But, if you and your brothers believe it is for the best, than who am I to stand in your way?" Master Splinter responded. Mikey didn't reply, and his father went towards the little kitchen to put the cup he was holding in the sink. "Tea has been most helpful." Master Splinter sighed. "And-" he cut himself off, shaking his head with a rueful smile.

"What?" Mikey spoke up.

"Nothing and no one." Sensei replied. "Now, what brings you back to your former home, Michelangelo?"

"Just came to stop by. Raph promised we'd visit, and I haven't so..." Mikey trailed off.

"Came to visit the older rodent, hm? How nice of you. Please, sit. Would you like something? I have cold pizza left over." Sensei offered, and Mikey shook his head.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." he replied. His father's gaze seemed to focus on something behind him, and Mikey could have sworn he saw his father mouth the word 'ka', but he wasn't sure. The orange masked turtle whipped his head around, but whatever his father had seen was gone.

"What do you seek to find, Michelangelo?" Sensei asked politely, taking a seat beside his son on the couch.

"I...I actually don't know. It seems so weird for all of us to be apart. I mean, my bros are all next door and you're kinda on the next street over, but you know? It's weird for us to not be together." Mikey said miserably.

"You must discover for yourself what is pleasing and a displeasure. Maybe one day you children will all reside under the same roof as I, but for the present you must discover a solo path. Maybe learn how to make your own dinner instead of ordering take out every night."

"And the wise sayings of Master Splinter..." Mikey chuckled.

"I am not pleased with this arrangement, but for the present it is as it is. You have only known one thing for a such a long time, now you must branch off." Master Splinter smiled. "We each must flourish in the heat of battle, whether its form is physical..or mental."

Mikey nodded, knowing his father was right. _Always_ right. Mikey and his father chatted for a bit longer, the younger son never seeing the girl hidden in the rafters.


	8. The Fiasco

**_A/N: This chapter is dedicated to IAmTheDragonEmpress, who had a very marvelous idea! Read and see... :)  
~(0)~_**

Papers were strewn across the floor haphazardly in the usually clean room. Tables had been moved around, a microscope now rested on its side on the ground, white boards were sideways and half way down/halfway up with the tell tale signs of permanent, orange marker scribbled across its surface proclaiming 'Go Get A Life Already', and the cheerful floresent bulbs burning above the frantic purple masked turtle wasn't doing anything to soothe the creature.

"No no no. This can't be happening." Donatello whispered in horror, tossing his papers around as he searched for his notes on transmutation in the L Caps. It was gone. _Gone._ Everything was in disarray, papers were scattered across the floor, white boards had been messed up, scribbled upon, and his computer had been cleared.

Completely cleared.

It had been a juvenile job, Don could tell that much because of the fact his computer screen had been flipped upside down. Donatello could do many things, but reading upside down and backward wasn't something he was good at. While his computer was completely out of sorts, the turtle had half an inkling as to what had happened.

If you leave a powerful magnet over a computer terminal, it wipes the hard drive.

"No, no, no..." all his research, all his hours of notes and studies, the _papers_! It was all gone..._gone_. Donatello was shocked speechless. He had _finally_ finished his paper on the 'possibility' of alternate diminsions, his observations saved on the cross breeding of tulips and venus fly traps (which, by the way, was never going to see the light of day and had forced Donatello to get a new mask), and the answer to the age old mystery that if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Which it does, just so you know.

"It has to be here, it _has_ to be!" Don gasped, rifling through drawers...and ending up jerking the drawers out and across the room. "No..." he whispered horrified. He stood in the center of the disaster zone, a seemingly calm in the storm. _Who could have done this? Who? _Don stood up straight, his hands tightening into fists. "Mikey."

~(0)~

"Whoa." Raph murmured.

His place...was spotless.

Absolutely spotless.

Everything had been cleaned up, his bed was actually _made_, his trash had been picked off the floor...actually, Raph could _see_ the floor.

"Um..." Raphael gaped. _I don't remember picking the place up...Am I losing it? _Raph shook his head, at a loss. He headed toward the fridge, completely confused. _I just need some pizza, then everything will make sense._ He told himself, opening the door.

The world was over.

"No, no, no...What the heck? Wha?" he gasped. All his junk food: his pizza, chips, ice cream, cake, salsa, peanut butter, Cheez-It's, soda, powerade...all gone.

There was only green stuff.

Lettuce, brochili, some weird oval thing that may or may not have been a cucumber, zuchini, green beans, peas, lima beans...There were carrots and salads, health bars and oatmeal, applesauce...

Raph twirled to look around his place again. Why hadn't he noticed earlier?! His punchingbags were gone, his Ultimate Fighter magazines, his weapons rack was strangely empty, and sitting oh so harmlessly on Raph's bed was a blue sheathed katanna.

"_Leo._" he growled. "You are dead. You are _dead_."

~(0)~

Leo's eyes widened in shock and dismay, and slowly, slowly, the fearless leader dropped to his knees. His arms fell limp at his side, his spirit frozen in place.

"The mess..." he whispered in horror. "The _mess_!"

It was true, his new home was in shambles. Furniture was knocked over, his little bonzi tree was lying on its side, his bed was messed up, and Leo's training area had been put in complete disarray. To make it worse, which really shouldn't have been possible, the lights had been switched out. Now, instead of the usal white bulbs, bright, dark, neon, and normal _red_ bulbs lit up his home.

"How...?" he mumbled. "The mess..."

Leonardo surveyed the damage, and zeroed in on a cake left on the only standing table. Slowly, Leo stood up and shuffled over to the treat. His feet padded along the floor, his shoulders slumped, his mind in turmoil, and Leo read the cursive, red words.

'Hope You're Having A Great Day!'

~(0)~

"WHERE IS BLACK OPPS II? WHERE IS IT?!" Mikey wailed, trashing his neatly arranged home in hopes of finding the X-Box game. He had come in to find everything neat and orderly, something he _knew _had to be Leo's fault, but the youngest turtle knew that his leader wouldn't have taken his video games.

Which were all missing.

Every single game.

_And _all the game stations!

It was all gone: Black Opps, Final Fantasy (_all_ of them), Castlevania: Smphony of the Night, Rock Band, NHL 12, Just Dance 4, Tomb Raider...It was all gone!

Mikey had only been left with a computer, a laptop really. _One._ Only _one_...And on a word document page was a simple line:

'Video Games Rot Your Brain You Know.'

Mikey had stared at that line for almost five whole minutes, completely flabbergasted. _Rot your brain? Rot your _brain_? What else am I supposed to use it for?!_ Mikey couldn't believe it. What was wrong with playing videogames? It was the symbol for his generation! Movies and games, music and MTV! What was he supposed to do now? Play _outside_?

"Someone's going to pay." Mikey hissed, his fist clenching. "You do not mess with a turtle's Assasian's Creed III. You just _don't_."

~(0)~

"It seems calm tonight, Kage. A good omen, wouldn't you agree?" Mr. Splinter commented absently, and the brunette nodded back. The elderly rat was reclining in a chair while Kage was lying on the couch, flipping through an old forgotten magazine. It was a nice night, it wasn't too cold, nor too hot, and the sound of flutes was floating from a music speaker. It was a traditional Japanese CD, and the music was filled with a dream like quality. The two friends were quieted by its soothing melody, simply wanting to smile.

Kage looked at Mr. Splinter. His eyes were closed in meditation, and Kage was happy he to see him doing something so Mr. Splinter-ish. He was slowly returning to his original personality before the turtles had decided they were old enough to move out, and mature enough to leave their father by himself. Kage couldn't believe they were that dumb, had done the most immature thing she could possibly do: mess with their heads!

_They should be at each other's throats soon._ She thought suddenly. _But then again, it's a great way to spice up their lives. It's to...plain. They never do anything out of the ordinary, it's like you could figure out their next move without trying!_

"Kage," Mr. Splinter spoke up, jarring the girl out of her thoughts. She looked at him expectantly, waiting for whatever he was about to ask. His brown eyes were regarding her curiously, and she cocked her head in question. "I was wondering, would you like to move in?"

Kage's jaw dropped.

"I know you must travel aways to come to my home every day, and you must travel it back as well to return to your dwelling." Mr. Splinter continued. "My sons are no longer a threat to the secret of your existence, but as to why you are so wary of them I _would _like to know...someday. I get lonely without anyone here, the silence is so deafening. And no one likes to be alone. We are an odd pair, I'll admit that. But you are a wonderful girl, and whatever mystery you refuse to reveal must have its reason." Kage's eyes widened, and then lowered to the floor. "You have brightened my life in such an infortunate time, and I would like to ask you to stay. I know my home is...odd, my sons are to blame I'm afraid. But, could you ever come to call this place home?" Mr. Splinter asked, looking at the girl carefully. His face was unsure, he truly wondered whether Kage could leave her life of shadows to step into the light. To trust him.

Kage's jaw slowly closed, her eyes blinked, and slowly, so slowly, she nodded, a small smile gracing her features.

"Thank you for trusting me." Mr. Splinter whispered, smiling back.

Unbeknownst to both of them, a four turtle storm was hurtling in their direction.


	9. Family Squabble

"Who the heck said you could come into my house?!" Donatello demanded of his youngest brother. "What did you do to my research?!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You will go back into my place and clean it up, you got that Raph?" Leo demanded.

"How the heck did I get put on clean up duty?" the hot headed turtle yelped.

"You trashed the place!"

"What?"

"Who took my Assassins Creed III? Give it back now and I'll spare your miserable lives."

"Chill, dude, it's just a game." Don scoffed.

"And I'm sure your paper on transmutation is just some silly thing too, huh?" Mikey snorted.

"So you did take it!"

"What?"

"Then how do you know about my paper?" Don pressed.

"Dude, _everyone_ knows about that dumb paper." Raph rolled his eyes. "Now, if Leo doesn't give me my weapons back, someone's gonna pay."

"Why do you think _I _took it?" Leo sighed.

"The place is clean. OCD clean." Raph replied.

"So?"

"You took my stuff!" Raph exclaimed.

The verbal debate quickly escalated to a fist fight, leaving Leo standing off to the side wondering how the heck he had gotten in charge of a bunch of three year olds. The brothers had been heading for the lair, knowing there was only one way to solve this crisis.

Master Splinter.

"You're gonna pay! You got that, Leo?!" Raph was yelling as the group stormed into the lair. Master Splinter quickly rose to his feet from a chair, looking confused, nervous, and then even more confused after looking behind him.

"My sons, you're back-"

"Tell this idiot here to give me back my stuff!" Raph ordered Master Splinter, slinging his arm to point at a certain blue masked turtle.

"Idiot?" Sensei murmured, but was cut off by a chuckle.

"In comparison to me, you're all idiots." Don smirked.

"You wanna say that again?" Raph demanded, moving to get in his brother's face.

"You're an idiot." Don said calmly, his eyes narrowing. "A pretentious idiot."

"Donatello!" Master Splinter gasped.

"What? His intelligence is below average at best." Don shrugged. "How he managed to destroy Leo's place so thoroughly is mere luck."

"Shut. Up." Raph growled.

"Okay, who took my X-Box? You either give it back or I break your neck!" Mikey broke in angrily.

"Michelangelo-" Master Splinter tried to reproach, but was once again cut off.

"No one cares about those dumb games of yours, Mikey, they rot your brain anyway." Leo sighed.

"So it was you!" Mikey accused, remembering the line left on the computer screen.

"What? Why would I take your games?"

"You were always jealous of my high scores, I knew it." Mikey glared.

"Dude, chill out." Don tried to pacify his brother.

"Don't tell me to chill out!" Mikey shouted. "He took the most important things in the world away from me!"

"And he took my favorite weapons." Raph chimed in. "You don't touch a turtle's sai."

"Someone took your sai?" Leo asked, curious.

"Don't play dumb." Raph hissed. "I know it was you."

"And I know you trashed my home." Leo shot back. "Red light bulbs? What is this, National Raphael Day?"

"You wish it was."

"Would you shut up?" Don groaned.

"Why should I when he is showing me obvious disrespect?" Leo demanded. "I'm the leader, you show me respect."

"I think we should change things then." Mikey spoke up.

"Yeah, the idiot's got a point." Don crossed his arms over his point. "Who put you in charge anyway? What makes you so great and mighty?"

"I can take down any enemy in ten seconds flat." Leo replied, smugly.

"And I can hack a computer system faster than that." Don smirked back."

"Get real, Leo." Raph snorted. "It only takes me five seconds to take down a Dragon."

"Cuz those are Dragons! They're even bigger idiots than Mikey!" Leo shouted.

"Hey!" Mikey yelped.

"It's not like it's any news breaker, Mikey." Don sniggered.

"Why you-"

"SILENCE!" Master Splinter screamed, quieting his sons into shocked silence. "You are brothers. Act like such." he ground out. "Now, what is the meaning of this dispute? Answer me."

"Mikey came in and scribbled-"

"Raph totally destroyed my-"

"Fearless here left _carrots_ in my _fridge_-"

"Someone stole my Black Ops II and-"

"Someone's got to pay." they finished in unison. The brothers glared at each other distrustfully, fists clenched, eyes narrowed.

"Such hatred." Sensei sighed. "Is there any evidence to suggest a brother for these crimes?"

"The orange marker-"

"Red light bulbs-"

"Leo's katanna-"

"You took my sword?"

"You left it!"

"Silence!" the rat ordered, and the brothers quieted. "So all I'm hearing is a squabble based on circumstantial evidence."

"What?"

"Didn't you hear me?"

"His _katanna_-"

A look from Master Splinter silenced them once again.

"Leonardo, you are the supposed leader of your brothers. Why can't you find out the truth when you are in charge? I am your father, this is true, but when you moved out you all agreed to decide things among yourselves as facts or falsehoods. Did the four of you even attempt civility before making accusations?"

The brothers cast a glance between them, a trace of shame in their faces. The truth was, no, they hadn't even tried to sort things out by themselves. They had come straight to Master Splinter to solve their problems when they had declared themselves adults, and capable of solving things on their own. Even Donatello, a brainiac in his own right, had been reduced to verbal, and physical, violence.

Master Splinter shook his head, his old, brown eyes closing wearily. He sat back down in his chair, putting his furry head in his paw. He was getting up in years, he had tried to raise his sons honorably by the way of Bushido, of the samurai and days gone by. Of loyalty, and respect. He thought he had taught them how to solve problems among themselves, not lay blame or fault among their family. If you couldn't even depend on family, then who could you lean on? Who would support you, if not a brother?

"I will not make judgments. I also will not quell this argument." he finally sighed. "If there is proof of misconduct, then punishment is necessary. The extent is not for me to decide, but between the four of you an answer may be discovered. If no punishment or reprimands are required, then you have a mischievous spirit lurking in your homes and I suggest you go catch the culprit before she, or he, tells the surface world of our existence."

With that said, Master Splinter picked up the remote control and started watching one of his soap operas. The rat didn't look at his sons, he wouldn't give them the satisfaction of watching him show any trace of him caving and helping them. They had to learn on their own. Almost as one, the turtles left and Master Splinter finally let the tears slip down his fur. He couldn't believe his sons had been reduced to this, to fight against one another. It hadn't been this bad in a long time, and he blamed the independence moving out brought. Their spirits were intertwined, together cohesive, but apart...

When they had all lived together, their spirits were in unison. Sometimes a wayward spark would crop up and make one think he was better than another, but when the clouds cleared that turtle would always see he belonged with his family, that one was never as strong as with others. Genghis Khan had once said something like that. In his quest to control Mongolia and its surrounding neighbors, his brothers had all suggested they take a different direction and conquer the land separately. Genghis had refused, and used a group of twigs to show his meaning.

"_One twig can be snapped easily," _the Khan had once said, and snapped a twig as proof. _"but a bunch of twigs," _he had continued, grouping the thin branches together, _"are harder to break." _

Khan had been taking about his family and world domination, but his message still reverberated through time. Just like the Khan family could conquer the world easier as a group, as a family with one mind and spirit working in tandem, the Hamato family was stronger as a whole. Now Master Splinter's sons, the twigs, were leaving the bunch, and were easier to break as a result. Seeing them squabble just proved the point...

Kage's brunette head popped up from behind the couch she had dove behind. Her eyes were wide, concerned, her jaw slightly dropped in shock.

"Family," the rat sighed. "what can you do?"


	10. A Glimpse into Kage

Kage pushed the manhole cover up, feeling the soft moonbeams fall down on her. She turned her face to the moon, smiling. She pulled herself up, onto the grass, and slid the manhole cover back in place, getting to her feet. The grass felt good under her bare feet, and Kage started running. She was happy, carefree, and Kage loved it. The brunette looked around herself, realizing New York City was usually just a concrete jungle. It seemed to be a park, Central Park maybe? She knew everything about the sewers, she knew that place like the back of her hand, but the world above? Kage knew some things, but she was still working on it.

The grass turned into concrete, and Kage slowed down, simply walking along the path. Trees loomed over her, casting shadows on her every step, and making her whole environment look eerie. Her dark eyes glanced around, and she sighed tiredly. She wanted to stop running, she wanted to be able to relax for once, to not need to watch out for Them.

Kage saw a bench and sat down, her pale fingers curling around the metal bench arm. She closed her eyes, turning her face to the moon again. For once, she didn't feel the need to run. With Mr. Splinter by her side, she felt...safe. She didn't think They could find her, not when she had been so careful for all these years. And it wasn't that she had been so careful, it was that she felt like she was home.

Home.

He had asked her to move in. He actually wanted her in his home, after all the years she had lived by herself, in the sewers. He still didn't know who she really was, he didn't know anything about her, but he knew he could trust her. Which was pretty weird, considering she had spied on him and his family for years...

Kage shook her head, and then looked toward the skyline. It was still dark, there wasn't a trace of the coming dawn in sight. She sighed, and looked at her feet. It had been seven years since she had been "normal"...since she had walked with people, not sewer rats...the non-mutant type, of course.

Seven years since she had spoken without fear.

Truthfully, she wondered if she still _could _speak. Or if it had been so long she had simply lost her voice completely. But she didn't need to speak, and she never would. And Mr. Splinter accepted that fact, didn't push her or delve into her past, trying to discover the truth. He was such a wonderful rat...He was probably her best friend.

A tree limb snapped, and Kage was on her feet in a split second. Her eyes were wide, scared, and she bolted. It didn't matter that the creature in question was a raccoon, by the time the naturally masked animal came out, Kage had disappeared into the sewers.


	11. So You Didn't Break Into My Place?

"So you're saying you _didn't_ break into my place and destroy all the valuable research scientists throughout the world would be salivating over?" Donnie pressed.

Mikey just looked at him.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!"

"There's no need to raise your voice, Mikey." Raph sighed.

"But**-**"

"And why'd you destroy my new house? I can't find anything now!" Leo grumbled.

"I _didn't_!"

"And why don't I believe you?" Leo crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why would I lie?" Raph demanded, exasperated. "And more importantly, do you want to tell me why you destroyed my house?"

"Why the heck would I want to go to _your_ place?"

The four were trying to take Master Splinter's advice. Emphasis on trying. They couldn't seem to get along, and the truth wasn't coming out. They all _knew_ the other had done something to the other's place, they just knew it. But no one was confessing to the crime! And whenever someone was accused, they immediately refuted it.

They were getting nowhere.

Absolutely nowhere.

"Okay," Leo said, trying to calm everyone down. They had to figure this out, all this dishonesty was bad for them. They were ninjas, honorable ninjas! "Would everyone here swear on the Bushido Code that they _didn't_ vandalize their brother's home?"

"I swear."

"Totally."

"Duh."

"Okay then," Don nodded. "So we either have a bunch of liars, or someone else is down here."

"I'm not lying," Mikey said firmly.

"If we're not manipulating each other," Don began. "Then someone is toying with us. This individual knows where we live, even our new homes. This individual is highly intelligent. My home is protected with an alarm system of _my_ creation. Not just anyone could get past it. Which makes me wonder now how Mikey could've done it..."

"Hey!" Mikey said, and then brightened. "Told ya I didn't do it."

"This is bad." Raph murmured.

"How so?"

"Someone knows about us, Leo. Someone who can tell the whole world about our existence." Raph said quietly, looking at his brother surprised. The red masked brother wanted to shake his head. Leo was usually the mature one, but it seemed the two were trading places. "And this person..."

"This person what?" Mikey asked, puzzled.

"...Might know about Master Splinter."

"Let's go!"

~(0)~

"There you are, Kage." Mr. Splinter smiled as the human girl walked into the world. "I was beginning to worry."

Kage looked at the ground, ashamed.

"It's fine, Kage. I'm glad you're safe," he smiled. "My sons came tonight."

Kage looked at him curiously.

"They are children. All four of them." Mr. Splinter groaned.

Kage remained silent.

"They run to me with problems they should be able to sort out among themselves," Mr. Splinter sighed. "It is quite impossible. And it seems that the hierarchy is changing." Mr. Splinter said. "Raphael is maturing while Leonardo is devolving. It is odd, but I wonder if it is for the better..."

Kage shrugged, and Mr. Splinter shook his head trying to dispel the question.

"I have been teaching you tai chi," Mr. Splinter continued. "But I think it's time to teach you self defense. No, no, I doubt you'll ever need it." Mr. Splinter assured her after noticing her fearful expression. "But I still want you to be able to protect yourself." he said. Kage looked at him curiously, almost unsure. She had no reason to learn self defense, she'd prefer to run. She could run faster than anyone she knew...not that she knew a lot of people anyway.

Hesitantly, Kage nodded.

"Splendid. I want to teach you how to throw a person." Mr. Splinter said eagerly. Kage felt a twinge of dismay. _Throw someone? Why would I need...? Is he...crazy? Insane? _Kage was pretty sure she saw a gleam in Mr. Splinter's eyes, and warily looked at her friend. Could this be a crazy form of empty nest syndrome?

"The most important thing you need to remember is to plant your feet. You can't be wobbly, or you'll find someone twice your size toppled over you." Mr. Splinter was saying.

Kage wondered if he had finally gone certifiably insane.

~(0)~

"AH!" Master Splinter shouted, and the brothers looked at each other in shock. Had Master Splinter actually shouted? They sped up, running into the lair to find some stranger standing over Master Splinter. The mysterious girl gasped in shock, and their Sensei looked toward them. The brothers automatically put aside their differences, this was Master Splinter.

_No one _messed with their Master Splinter.

"Get her!"


	12. Run!

She didn't even gasped as she spun on her heels. Faster than lightning, Kage had zoomed into the closest room: Raphael's. She slammed the door shut, running towards the back wall. The room had a checkered design, with squares around the room. The base of the walls had a border of squares, and it was to one seemingly normal square that Kage flew. She reached out and pushed the wall sideways, revealing a secret passageway into the tunnels.

Since she had started living with Mr. Splinter, Kage hadn't felt any panic or need to flee. Still, a little voice at the back of her mind told her she needed to keep her options open...just in case. So, with her paranoia in full swing, she had left many of her hidden doors unlocked, and easily accessible. Such as the one in Raph's room, it could only be locked from the inside.

Kage was quickly though her hole, turning only briefly to snap the lock in place. Her secret passageway started with a little tunnel of its own, and the shadow girl crept swiftly through darkness before shooting into the bleary darkness of the sewer system. She could hear the shouts of echoing voices, the anger.

They couldn't find her.

She practically flew through the sewer system, feeling like an escaped criminal. She knew they were after her, they would follow her, try to catch her. She took a sharp left, coming face to face with a dead end. She cast an afraid look over her shoulder, feeling herself hunching up as she pushed open a camouflaged door. It looked exactly like the sewer wall, but unless you knew it was there, or felt along the wall, you would never know it existed. This door was also risky. It had no lock, she used it to go in both directions. She never dreamed she'd need to lock it.

Kage did what she did best: She disappeared. You never would have guessed someone could be living in the sewers, you never would have known someone could slip in and out of the the shadows. And you certainly wouldn't have been able to tell the slight ripple of light was a girl in flight.

She made it back to her original hideout. She slid into her room, turning on the light, bolting the door, and listening to the sound of her pounding heart. Her nerves were shot, she couldn't believe she had been seen! It was so unlike her...Kage _never_ dropped her guard! _Did-Did Mr. Splinter tell...? Did he tell his sons I existed? Did he tell them about me?_ Kage felt herself tremble. She had been discovered, she could be found! She had worked so hard to disappear, to be a nobody. She had fallen off every radar, had slipped away from the spot light.

She shouldn't have been found.

But Mr. Splinter...

_Why did I get involved? Why didn't I stay away? Why didn't I...?_

She hung her head in shame. This was all her fault, wasn't it? Kage could've ignored the rat's summons, she could have pretended he was wrong. She could've continued like nothing happened. She had been doing it all her life, pretending she didn't exist. Carefully keeping herself hidden, waiting for the day she didn't have to constantly look over her shoulder. It wasn't her fault she was hidden. Really, it wasn't. But still, Kage had to live with the consequences. If it meant hiding, she would hide. One day, maybe, just maybe, they would give up searching. Maybe one day, she could stand in the sunlight, without fear of being seen...or reported.

Kage fingered a small, jeweled necklace around her neck. It shimmered slightly in the light, seeming to crackle with energy. Kage loved the necklace, it was something her mother had given her before Kage was forced to flee. It was so pretty, a deep, vibrant red color on a gold looking chain. In all the running, the necklace had peeked out of her shirt, and Kage hastily pushed it back beneath her collar.

Some things didn't have to be known about.


	13. The Intruder's Not an Intruder?

"No!" I shouted, but my words fell on deaf ears. Raphael and Michelangelo were at my side in an instant, while Leonardo and Donatello raced for the closed-door.

"Are you okay, Sensei?" Michelangelo asked worriedly, and my wide eyes seemed to answer for me.

"We'll get her, I promise," Raphael growled. "she will pay."

Leonardo had just thrown open Raphael's door, and stormed in. I heard the frustrated, disbelieving shouts, and still my jaw hung open in shock.

"She got _away_." Leo hissed, stomping back into the main room.

"Got _away_? How did-" Raphael shook his head. "My room has no other exits except that one door."

"Please...my sons..." I trailed off, still in shock. What had I been thinking? Kage...My poor Kage. The look she had given me, like I had betrayed her...

"Let's get him on the couch," Raphael instructed, and my boys helped me sit down on the sofa.

"You...you just..."

"Save your life? Yeah, we know," Michelangelo smirked.

"We have to devise a plan," Donatello spoke up. "her trail will run cold if we don't do something. Did she take anything, Sensei?"

"Did she hurt you?" Raphael asked quietly.

_"How_ did she even find this place?" Leonardo asked, perplexed. He shook his head. "Either way, we _will_ find her and make her play for the injustice she forced on you."

"No one hurts our Master Splinter," Donatello said coldly. "someone who tries to attack our family will suffer. I will make sure the intruder pays."

"We should start with the third quadrant of the sewers, that's the area closest to Raph's room." Leonardo spoke up, taking the lead as he always did. "Don and I will scope out Raph's room for any weak points. She might still be hidden in there," Leonardo said, but then shook his head. "probably not, though. Mikey, you and Raph go scope out the sewer. If she's still around, we might be able to catch this intruder."

"You imbeciles!" I shouted angrily, jumping to my feet. "Idiots!"

My sons were quickly taken aback.

"Kage was not trying to harm me! The girl would _never_ inflict pain on me!" I told them harshly. "She was a guiding light when my so called _family_ abandoned me in my own home. How humans act when they are of age Topside...bah. We are not them. We do not follow their ways! Kage was a friend when my family turned traitor! You cannot hunt down a girl who could be called my daughter!"

"D-Daughter?"

"You _know _her?" Leonardo demanded.

"Kage has been good company for a while now. She is a friend, and a trusted girl. She has kept my secret, _your_ secret, for many years. You know nothing. Any of you." I said hotly. "I raised each of you to be observant, smart. You could not detect a foreign presence in your midst for _years_! Kage would never harm _any_ of us!"

"B-But she- She _flipped-"_

"I was teaching her self-defense!" I cried angrily. "I have tried to teach her the same things I once taught you: meditation, tai chi, bits and pieces of martial arts. She is not the enemy!"

"B-But-"

"No buts, you are like little children who think they know everything." I silenced my son. "Kage is a secret. She is in hiding, and wished to keep her existence a secret. She is like us, hiding below the surface. She is like a ninja, but lacks the skills of martial arts. She has watched us for years, from the shadows. Like we did for the world above. You have shattered a young girl's trust. I was supposed to protect her, but you four come rushing in, making assumptions like you know everything! I may never find her again, and all because you thought _I_ was in danger!"

"B-But we saw-"

"Have I taught you four nothing?" I sighed, shaking my head tiredly. "I am a master. I might be old, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve."

"Sensei..."

"Find my daughter, or I may no longer have sons."


	14. And So We Run

"Kage! _Kaaaaaage_!"

The voices called her name, and the Shadow Girl cowered against the wall. How could they possibly know her name?! They weren't supposed to know her name! They weren't supposed to know about her at all!

"Kage!"

The purple bandana'd turtle called out, and Kage swiftly fled in the opposite direction. For ninja, the boys were really bad at it. She, on the other, hand needed it for survival. So, like all the masters before her, Kage was silent, swift, and invisible. She paused by a brick wall, feeling for any cracks, and finding the hole carefully pushed the two bricks apart. It had taken a long time to make all her doors, escape hatches, and entry ways, but she never regretted the time she spent on it. She slipped behind the wall, closing it silently, and then moving into pure darkness.

She didn't mind the dark, it had adopted her a long time ago. Keeping her safe in its shadows, erasing her from normal sight, and played tricks on peoples' minds. So, Kage had learned to trust the gray world she had become a part of of. Her fingers would trail on walls, her steps hesitant at times, but able to keep going. The rocky floor gave way to metal pipes, and the sound of rushing water filled the girl's ears.

She looked around herself, straining her ears to catch any sound that might be hidden behind the waterfall of water. Kage held her breath a moment, closed her eyes, and listened.

Nothing.

She let out her breath, and moved forward. Kage crossed over the swirling waters, almost wary of the moving river. If she fell...Kage shook her head, she would not fall, she _could not _fall. She came to a halt by the edge of the 'bridge', looking down into the moving water. What would be the harm of jumping? She wouldn't have to stay hidden any longer, she would be free from her pursuers, and she wouldn't have to remain quiet any longer. She could just jump, let out a whoop of relief, scream and scream, and then plummet into the darkness below.

She could just jump.

Kage leaned over the edge, closing her eyes. It would be so easy...

_So _easy.

Kage took a step away, letting out a shuddering breath. She reached for the cool chain around her neck, feeling the jewel at the end. She focused herself on the necklace, the memories. Her mom wouldn't have wanted her to end it all. Kage's mother would've brought her back from death only to kill her herself for even considering it!

_Keep moving, Kage. It's the coward's way out._

Kage shook off the thought, and let herself get swallowed up in darkness again.

~(0)~

"Kage! Kage! Where are you?!"

Four brothers called out the name, over and over, to no avail. She wasn't going to reveal herself, and the four brothers' knew they wouldn't find her unless she wanted them to.

"I can't believe this!" Mikey groaned. "How can she evade four highly trained ninjas?!"

Mikey's brothers didn't know how to respond, especially since they were all agreeing with him. They were some of the best ninjas on Earth, Mikey was even a Battle Nexus Champion, and they hadn't even found a trace of this girl.

"How do we even know this girl's still down here?" Raph asked. "She could've gone topside or something."

"I doubt it," Leo scoffed. "if she's been living down _here_, then I don't think she'd feel safe up topside."

"Raph has a good point though, Leo," Donnie spoke up. "she looks like the people above. She'd be able to blend in, hide in plain sight."

"But if we don't find her..." Leo trailed off, remembering their Father's earlier tirade. The rat wouldn't allow them to come home without this Kage girl.

"Dudes, we're not going to find this girl," Mikey sighed. "she's been living on the down low for as long as we have, probably even better than we did," he chuckled, thinking about all the news stories about mutant turtles in Central Park.

"We should probably head back," Raph decided, his eyes flickering to each brother.

No one argued.

Raph took the lead, his brothers following suit. Leo looked back once, into the crazy sewer system were a girl was running wild, alone, and had been for years. Had his brother and he destroyed what little happiness this girl had discovered with Master Splinter? Had they sent this girl running? Again?

Leo shook his head, he would never know.

~(0)~

Kage slipped into the Lair, quieter than a mouse with the grace of a cat. She was actually above the lair, on a wooden beam that seemed to support her weight. A backpack was on her back, and Kage carefully balanced on the beam. She had been nervous at first, she could hear the ominous creak of the wood being stressed, but after a moment everything was silent again. She had been up here before, it was a great vantage point, and it hadn't failed her before. She doubted it would succumb to her light weight anytime soon... But at the same time, Kage knew it was going to come down soon.

Really soon.

Kage looked around herself and beneath her, searching for any sign of turtles.

It was empty.

Mr. Splinter wasn't even there, which seemed odd to the girl. Had they moved to a new home? The family had done that once before, after the mouser invasion, and it had taken Kage a few days to find their new residence. Kage felt herself become unsettled. Had _she_ been considered a threat? Was that why they had moved? They thought she was of the evil variety? Kage shook her head, hurt, and tried to clear her thoughts. She had to get to the ground below, and clear everything of hers out.

Since Mr. Splinter had invited her to move in, Kage had brought some little knick knacks of hers to make her new room in the Lair feel a little more homey. A few extra clothes, a book, things like that.

Kage felt for the rope she had tied on the beam, making sure it was tight and wouldn't drop her. Since Kage had been here before, she had set up another quick route of escape...just in case. A simple rope that led to a rafter beam, that was next to a vent, that was connected to a tunnel, that dropped onto a sewer floor and means of escape.

Kage grabbed her rope, and rappelled down. She came down, light on her feet, leaving the rope dangling as she hurried to her room. She threw her things into the backpack, making sure it would all fit, and then hurrying out into the Lair.

She skidded to a halt.

Mr. Splinter was by her rope, curious. Kage knew she couldn't take that way, she would have to use another escape hatch. She started towards another little hidey hole of hers, but cast a glance back in fear. She didn't want him to know she was there, but at the same time...He tugged on the rope, and then the beam above groaned darkly. _Oh no..._ Kage gasped, and the beam groaned again. The snap of wood alerted the two Lair occupants to the disaster about to befall them, and Mr. Splinter looked up just in time to see the rafter begin its descent to the ground below.

"MR. SPLINTER! WATCH OUT!" Kage screamed.

~(0)~  
**_She spoke! And Master Splinter's about to get trapped beneath a rafter beam! Oh no! But anyway, my question. The truth's about to be revealed about Kage's past, and the question for you, my amazing readers, is how big a twist do you want Kage's past to be? Tell me when you review! :)_**


	15. In a Spaceship In Space

High above the earth, a spaceship was resting just beyond the gravitational pull of planet earth. Its occupants were strange creatures, preferring to float with devices rather than walk. Technology was radically advanced from the earthlings, and the creatures prided themselves on their advances.

But not all of these odd creatures were happy.

One, a pinkish, bored creature floating in front of blank screen, sighed for the thousandth time. He was basically on the graveyard watch. Years ago, this job had been created, not many knew why though, and one of the creatures had always been in a single room, in front of a screen, waiting. For seven years, someone was at this post. It was the worst job aboard the whole ship, simply because _nothing _happened.

The pinkish creature sighed, bored. He was waiting for something to happen, _anything_ to happen. But if nothing had happened in over seven years, he seriously doubted anything would. He was about to nod off when a voice screamed into his room:

"MR. SPLINTER! WATCH OUT!"

The pink being toppled off his floating device, shocked.

_She spoke...she spoke! SHE SPOKE!_

The Utromian quickly got back unto his platform, pressing a button. He checked the coordinates from where the signal was coming from, and he really wasn't surprised. The small, backwater planet seemed to be the answer...like usual. Everything always pointed back to Earth...

"Sir, no sir, this is not a false alarm! The criminal spoke!"


	16. Time to Run

Kage gasped, a hand flying to her mouth in shock.

She spoke..._she SPOKE!_

It had been the most guttural, raspiest, nails on a chalkboard sound she had ever made, but she had spoke. And now she had to run, because now They were coming.

Mr. Splinter had taken her warning to heart, dodging the falling debris and saving himself from the impending doom. He popped up, looking for the owner of the voice. His astonished face all but confirmed any suspicions that _maybe_ it hadn't been her. That _maybe_ Kage hadn't just told her pursuers where she were. That _maybe _she hadn't put Mr. Splinter in danger...

"Kage!" Mr. Splinter breathed, shocked. Wide eyed, Kage twirled on her feet and ran for the entrance. "Kage!" he shouted out again, but the girl in question wasn't about to stay to answer any questions. She zoomed out of the lair right as a big explosion rocked the earth. A bright portal erupted in the kitchen, and Kage let out a scream in fright.

_They're here! They're here!_

Her mind froze, and her body took over. Her feet pounded against the ground, her legs burned with speed, and her arms pumped as fast as they could. She had to get out before _They _got here...Before they could start tracking her...Not again...Not like the last time...

_Rewind seven years, to a much younger Kage. Her hair was short, nice and well kept. Her eyes were the sweet innocent blue you would associate with a child. She looked to be around eight or nine, ten maybe, with wonderment in her eyes as she looked at the necklace she had been given. It was a beautiful ruby red stone on a simple chain, something that dazzled in the light. She was so happy her mom had given her it! She had put it on, excited, the clasp locking shut. It didn't dangle that far over her shirt. Actually, it fit pretty nicely over her collarbone._

"_It's so pretty," Kage had whispered, in awe. Soon after she had spoken, a bright blue light erupted in the room, almost like an earthquake. Wonderment turned to fear as odd, brain like beings zoomed into the room. They floated on weird disk things, and Kage had trembled before the alien creatures. _

"_Wha-What do you want?!" she had exclaimed, and the creatures just narrowed their eyes at her. _

"_Playing innocent, are you?" one had asked darkly, and Kage's eyes just went wide. A laser beam went past Kage, barely missing her, and then she was running. _

"_Sweetheart! Over here!" a voice had shouted, and Kage had ran towards her mom. If her mom hadn't been there to save her, Kage doubted she would've gotten away. _

_They quickly retreated to a safe house of sorts, but those weird, alien creatures kept finding them. _

"_What are we going to do?" Kage asked, pitifully. "What do they want?"_

_Almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth, the portal appeared._

"_Come on!" her mother exclaimed, and the started running again. This time they ducked into a sewer entrance, disappearing into the dizzying underground. The two leaned against the wall, breathing heavily._

"_Listen baby," Kage's mom began. "you can't say a word. Do you understand? Every time you speak, they seem to find us. I don't know how they can track a voice, baby, but they're tracking yours. You gotta be silent, okay?" _

_Kage had gaped, shocked._

"_B-"_

"_Sh, baby. You gotta be quiet!" her mom said quickly, covering her daughter's mouth. "Take the necklace off, alright?" _

_Kage reached for the necklace, searching for the clasp, then gasped._

"_The-"_

"_Sh!"_

_Kage quickly shut her mouth, starting to feel panicked. There was no clasp! She kept searching the chain, but she couldn't find a clasp!_

"_Come on, baby, take the necklace off," her mother urged, but Kage's face conveyed the impossible: It wasn't coming off._

Kage shook her head, feeling the ruby like necklace hitting her chest with each step. She cleared her thoughts, quickly disappearing into one of her hide holes. She slowed her breathing, closed her eyes, and urged her ears to hear more than just the pounding of her heart. Those brain things were back! And after the first few chases, Kage didn't know if she would be able to get away on her own again. Her mom...She had saved her the last time the aliens had come after her...and she had paid for it with her life. Kage worried for Mr. Splinter, had she gotten him killed? Not like mom, not again...

_They had been on the run for a few months. Sometimes Kage would slip, and then they would have to run again. She didn't like it, always moving and never being able to speak. But she had her mom's encouragement, and if losing her voice meant never seeing those freaky things again, Kage would do it. It had been an accident though, the last time she had brought those things after them. She hadn't meant to speak up, she had just wanted to tell her mom that she loved her. _

_And then the portal._

_And then came those things._

_Her mom tried to protect her, but this time...a laser hit. There hadn't been anything she could've done, Kage had just cried. She had to leave her mom there though, with those things. And she had taken her mother's lead, and went into hiding._


	17. Utrom Time!

"I'm afraid I don't understand your language," Master Splinter said calmly, and the floating Utrom pressed a few buttons on his platform.

"There, is this the correct earth language?" the being asked formally.

"Much better, thank you," Master Splinter nodded back. The old rat hadn't understood a word that the Utromian being had been saying, it had just sounded odd to say the least. "Now, what is the cause for this intrusion? As you see, I have some construction problems I have to attend to."

The Utrom turned his attention to the fallen beam, and seemed to nod in agreement.

"Quite problematic, but home design is not the issue. We received a transmission from this location as to the whereabouts of a wanted fugitive."

"I would never aid and abet a criminal," Master Splinter said forcefully. "That is something that goes against my moral code."

"I am glad you feel that way, that will make our search for this person that much easier with your cooperation," the Utrom replied.

"How do you know this is the right location? I used to live with my sons...They didn't cause another intergalactic problem, did they?" Master Splinter worried. With all their escapades, his sons had made quite a few enemies, and problems, and destroyed just a bit of different planets and places. They weren't going back to those antics again, where they?

"This time, thankfully not," a familiar voice chuckled, and Splinter turned his attention to a new arrival to the lair.

"Captain Mortu, it has been quite some time since last we met," Master Splinter smiled.

"Indeed, it's been awhile," the captain replied, then turned to the other Utrom. "I will continue the interrogation with Splinter, you're dismissed."

"Yes, Captain."

"Can you explain to me what exactly is going on? If my sons are not at fault, then I'm afraid I don't understand why Utromian troops are in my home," Master Splinter chuckled.

"Apologies, my friend. We're searching for a fugitive who stole important data over seven years ago. In most cases, this wouldn't be a problem considering the age of the data and advancements on our home world, but in this case...well, the information is highly sensitive."

"Ah," Master Splinter nodded. "And you think I have been hiding this criminal?"  
"I would never think that of you, I know your moral code is without question," Mortu replied seriously. "The reason we were able to get here so quickly is because we have been picking up static in your quadrant. You see, the data was imbedded into a device that could easily hide it's true value from anyone without privy to our plans," Mortu explained.

"Wise, indeed."

"But, the device was stolen," Mortu sighed. "It's been missing ever since, and we've been trying to track it for years. The only good thing about the data's carrying case is that it picks up noise. It's been transmitting static from your area for years, but we could never pinpoint an exact location."

"What's this carrying case look like?" Master Splinter asked, but was cut off by a gasp.

"You gotta be kidding me, we're being invaded!" Michelangelo exclaimed.

"Aw, shuddup Mikey," Raphael growled.

"It's just the Utroms," Donatello grinned.

"Hi everyone," Leonardo waved.

"Aw, my favorite earthlings," Mortu replied. "Please, come in."

"We've scoured the sewers, we haven't found anything suggesting the being in question is here," another familiar voice rumbled.

"I remember you!" Michelangelo said, looking at the Utrom Guardian in shock.

"You planted a homing beacon on me," the guardian said darkly. "That wasn't nice."

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that..." Michelangelo trailed off, chuckling nervously.

"So, what's going on?" Raphael spoke up.

"We're searching for a wanted fugitive," Mortu explained. "As I was explained to your father, this is a serious issue concerning sensitive information. We must discover and apprehend the culprit before it's too late."

"We will try to help you, but you must remember how complicated and complex these sewers are," Master Splinter replied.

"That's why I brought my friends with me," Mortu chuckled, gesturing to the masses of floating Utroms and guardians. "We will find and apprehend the suspect as soon as we can, and be out of your way as soon as possible."

"There is no hurry among friends," Master Splinter responded.

"Thank you," Mortu nodded appreciatively.

"So, who here thinks we missed something?" Mikey asked his brothers.

"Missed _something_? Dude, we missed _everything_," Raphael snorted.

"Who would've thought we had a wanted Utromian fugitive in these very sewers," Donnie shook his head in wonderment.

"Dudes, do you think...Never mind," Leo shook his head, waving off his brothers curious looks. "Never mind, okay?" he said again, and his brothers decided to leave the issue alone.

Leo's mind was running. He wondered one little thing, if someone was hiding in the sewers, afraid of going topside, what would that make you? A runaway? A stray?

A fugitive?

_Does Master Splinter know the 'criminal'? Could it be...Kage? But wouldn't he have known if the girl was a bad guy in disguise? What did he ever really know about her to begin with? What am I thinking? There's no way some human girl could be a wanted felon by the Utromian Justice Force! How could that even happen anyway? I really am going crazy..._

Leo shook the thoughts away, he didn't want to think that maybe Kage was a crook. That would break Sensei's heart to discover the girl he was considering a daughter was actually a criminal!

"Leo, _Leo_, earth to Leo," Mikey sing songed, and Leo blinked, jerking himself out of his thoughts. "We're going into the sewers with some of the Utroms, you comin?"

"Uh, actually, I think I'll stay here with Splinter," Leo replied, for some odd reason not wanting to go with is brother...and stay with Splinter. The guy who had caused him so much misery from training, demanding perfection...

"Ya sure?" Raph asked, looking his brother in the eye, searching for a reason why.

"Yeah, take the lead, bro," Leo nodded, and watched as his brother smirked.

"See ya," Raphael waved, and the group disappeared back into the sewers.

"Leonardo, come here please," Master Splinter called, and he went towards his father.

"What is it Sensei?"

Master Splinter seemed to smile sadly at the title.

"I have not been your sensei, or at least a _true _one, in quite some time. You have become an excellent warrior, and I wanted you to know that."

Leo was speechless.

"Also, your brothers have all told me about their new homes, but you haven't come to visit to tell me about yours. Please, how _do _you like your new place?"

"Um, it's good. Peaceful," Leo said, and then attempted to mend the tear between him and his father as he spoke about his new home.


	18. Chapter 18

Things had become quiet.

Too quiet.

Kage didn't dare breath a sigh of relief. Even if she was in the clear, she didn't want to chance it. She felt so ashamed. She had left Mr. Splinter to face those...things. She knew he could probably get away, at least fight them off for just a little bit. Kage heard voices and stilled herself. She didn't even think, she just froze, waiting for the voices to go away.

They were voices she didn't know, a few so deep she was surprised, and others normal, but still voices unknown to her. She was silent. The mystery voices had stopped by her hiding place, and Kage felt fear jolt through her heart. If they were who she thought they were...

"It stinks down here," a voice grumbled.

"Where we headed, dude?" another asked.

"To get those green thugs," a third voice snarled, presumably the leader's. "They've messed with us for the last time, it's time for them to get what's coming to them!"

The first two voices cheered in agreement.

"The Boss wants them out of the game, permanently," another voice said.

"Then let's teach them a lesson," a new voice seemed to smirk.

"No duh, dude."

"It's not that simple, you idiot. Do you remember the last time they kicked your butt? This ain't a normal jump, stupid."

"Then...?"

"Turn your brain on," the leader snapped. "I work with idiots," he growled. "We're going to do this smart, got that? Ya'll stick to the plan, and it'll all work out."

"That means no 'improve', got it?"

A chorus of voices nodded a dull agreement, and then the shuffle of feet let Kage know the group had moved on. Her blue eyes widened in shock. Mr. Splinter had told her that something had been going on topside, that someone had taken the lead for evil. So this guy had sent a posse down to the sewers to get the the turtles?

Whatever was going on, Kage wasn't going to get involved. All that mattered was she stay hidden until those things left the sewers, and she could go back to Mr. Splinter and see if he was still okay...

Kage turned her eyes toward the darkness, knowing it was her last defense against whatever was after her, and then disappeared into its depths.

~(0)~

"The only thing I don't get," Leonardo said to Captain Mortu. "Is why you haven't found this fugitive yet. If the device hears sound, wouldn't you have pinpointed the location yet?"

Captain Mortu sighed.

"It was still in its prototype form."

"Then why...?"

"There wasn't time," he said frustrated. "Certain things became out of our control, and plans had to be changed. The data was hidden before we had a chance to fine tune its carrying case, and it was set to be a safety locator. It was supposed to be locked around its guardian's neck, a way to keep it out of enemy hands. As for the sound, we only had time to program it for vocal chords. Coughs, sneezes, it only created static. A ship has been in your quadrent for the past six years because the static was always from your area of this solar system."

"What has transpired on your home world, Mortu?" Master Splinter asked gently.

"War," the captain replied tiredly. "We have been at war, old friend."

Leonardo looked at the Utrom in shock. His people were generally peaceful, they liked science, not weapons!

Well, usually...

"I'm sorry," Master Splinter murmured. The Utrom sighed, but smiled.

"At least one mission will finally be accomplished, it will boost morale for my people."

"I wish you luck in your endeavors, Mortu," Master Splinter replied.

That's when the alarm sounded.

Leonardo jumped up, running to Donnie's computer. The warning system was glowing red alarms, and Leonardo checked to see where the intruders were.

"Back tunnel," he called out.

"I will see to it," Mortu nodded.

"No!" Master Splinter spoke up suddenly, startling everyone. "I mean, no, please, your a guest. I will go."

"Sensei?"

"It will be okay, Leonardo," he assured his son. The rat got up from the sofa to head for the tunnel, Leonardo wondering what his father was expecting. The shadow girl? Kage? Was there someone else out there?

A shout was heard, and Leonardo was on his feet. What had he been thinking? To let his Sensei go _alone_? He was such an idiot! Leonardo ran toward the tunnel, hearing the alarms disappear...and he wondered why. He reached the silent tunnel, looking around confused, unsure, shocked.

There was no one there.

Correction, there was _something_ there.

A note was on the floor, and Leo reached down for it. He felt like an idiot. No one had had the guts to come to the lair in years, so he hadn't expected anyone to ever use that tactic again. But obviously they had, and for a reason.

Leo read the note, growing cold. He was supposed to be the leader, he was supposed to protect them! He had failed...again. He knew they had come for him, his brothers, but they ended up taking a different mutant instead.

_Leave us alone, or you won't ever get the rat back_

Why did he feel like this was deja vu?


	19. Chapter 19

"Ha! We got 'em!" a voice cheered, only to exclaim a moment later, "OW! That hurt, man!"

"Would ya shuddup? You really are an idiot, aren't you? Did ya even look at the thing in the bag? It's _furry_, and it ain't got no green skin! You knocked the wrong guy out!" a second voice shouted. "But either way, this will work in our favor..."

When you've lived the majority of your life in the sewers, you hear weird things. For Kage, this had to be the strangest. No one goes into the sewer and brags about kidnapping someone, that's just plain weird...

The blue eyed girl was shocked to hear what was being said. Did they say what she thought they said? That couldn't be possible...the only furry thing down here was Mr. Splinter, and they couldn't have gotten him, could they?

The sewer girl peeked out from behind a corner as she watched them retreat, smug as ever. _A victory always ends up boosting your ego,_ Kage mused, thinking back to all the times the four turtle brothers had come home victorious.

And how they had subsequently been knocked off their pedestals at the next battle.

Kage was horrified. How could Mr. Splinter have gotten captured? And where were the turtles to rescue him? They always did! ALWAYS!

"Those green goons are gonna be putty in our hands once they realize who we got," someone snickered, and Kage steeled her nerves to creep quietly behind the band of kidnappers.

"Boss is going to be pleased."

"I'm finally gonna get promoted! No more assistant henchman position for me! Now I'll be a _real_ henchman!"

Mr. Splinter had taught the girl many things, especially when it came to ninja stuff. She may not be a ninja turtle, but she was a shadow girl, and shadow girls, like ninja turtles, were very good at getting what they wanted.

Somehow.

~(0)~

"Whadaya mean Splintah's been 'taken'?" Raph demanded.

"How did this even happen?" Donnie asked, confused.

"I...I take full responsibility," Leonardo hung his head in shame. "I never should have let him go investigate the disturbance, but I think he thought it was Kage."

"Dude, it's over now. We gotta focus on getting Sensei back!" Mikey said.

"I'm going to check if these guys tripped any other alarms, it might just give us a clue to their whereabouts," Donnie spoke, moving towards his computer. A few seconds later he said two words, "Fifth Tunnel."

They had a chance!

"Let's Go!"

~(0)~

Kage knew she would have to come into the light eventually, and it might as well be for someone she cared about. She was going to save Mr. Splinter, she had to!

The kidnappers were almost to a manhole cover, and once they were up in the world above...They were going to be impossible to catch. Kage reached for a rock, and threw it at the group. It missed, splashing into the sewer water behind them.

The group whirled around.

"What was that?"

"There aren't gators down here, right?" someone gulped, and a chuckle was heard throughout the tunnel.

"They do know we have shells, right? Or are they as blind as they are dumb?"

Kage gasped, she knew that voice!

"I don't know, Raph. Coming down here was a pretty stupid move if you ask me," Leonardo smirked. Kage felt her breath catch, they had come! The four turtle boys stepped into the pale sewer light, and Kage wondered how anyone could think they looked like gators.

They looked pretty mad though...

"Put the sack with our Master in it down," Donatello growled. "_Now._"

The kidnappers gulped. They hadn't expected this.

"Let's get them!"

The ensuing fight lasted less than five minutes. The turtles were angry, the henchmen were totally unprepared, and Kage just felt her eyes go wide at all the madness going on. Eventually, silence reigned in the tunnel, and the four boys went to work freeing their father from his prison.

"My sons..." Master Splinter murmured.

"Sensei! You're okay!"

Kage smiled at the reunion, happy for the little family of five. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to remember the feeling of _her_ mother hugging her. She slowly opened her eyes, the feeling evaporating like a ghost. She felt the necklace under her shirt, so cool, so pretty.

So absolutely tiring.

Maybe it was time to meet her pursuers, give up the fight. What was the point anyway? She had been running for as long as she could remember. It wasn't fun, but then again, it had lead her to this sewer, to that odd family of five, to Mr. Splinter. Kage absently wondered what would they do if she gave herself up. Would they even notice her disappearance? Maybe Mr. Splinter would, or he might still be upset with her for leaving him alone to face the aliens...

~(0)~

To say he was annoyed was an understatement.

Someone had actually captured him.

_Him_, Master Splinter, former battle Nexus champion!

He had thought it was Kage, afraid, but that she had come back. No, it was some ruff and unruly group of underlings who had come to ruin his day. And they had no honor when they assaulted him from behind, using the dirty tricks that only a low life resorts to.

They had thrown him in a sack, no respect what-so-ever, and had carted him off like he was a sack of potatoes. They kept praising themselves for capturing me, I could hear them gloat from my little prison, and I wanted to be free so I could teach them all a lesson. My claws, although sharp, were having a tough time penetrating the cloth as I was jostled about in their haste to leave my underground home.

But I can always count on my sons.

They are my pride and joy, my shining stars. They had come to my rescue, to save me, and as I was finally released from my prison, I realized things:

The first was simple, I was getting old.

It was so odd to think that, even though I knew I was aging every day. But as my sons were needed to rescue me, I truly understood what was happening. I could not save myself, I was not as young as I used to be.

The second was truly saddening, it was time to give up martial arts.

I was getting up in years, this day would come eventually. I knew it was time to put up my weapons, my warrior's spirit, and my Master title. It was time, I guess I should say, to retire. My boys knew everything they needed to know, and they would learn what they didn't in time. But as for me, it was time to simply sit on the sidelines.

The third was something I couldn't prove, but I knew someone was watching us.

I hugged my sons, so happy and thankful to have them there. I was truly blessed to have such wonderful children...

That's when I realized what the eyes were.

Or, more precisely, whose.

Kage.

I turned my head toward the place I could feel the eyes coming from, and smiled. I took a few steps in the direction of the eyes, and then I called out to her.

"Kage, would you please come out? There are some people I would like you to meet."

For a moment, there was silence. I could tell my sons were questioning my sanity, and for a moment, I was too. The shadows did not let go of Kage, and I wondered if they ever would...

I turned back towards my sons, smiling sadly.

"Never mind, she always was the Shadow Girl. I guess she always will be," I said ruefully.

"Might want to reconsider that, Sensei," Raphael smirked, nodding his head towards the place I had felt watching eyes.

I turned to look, hoping that she was there, that she trusted me enough to come out.

There, hesitantly stepping out from the edge of the shadows was a tiny, little brunette. Her sweat shirt was covered in sewer water and grime, her jeans splashed with all sorts of things. Her dark brown hair was in tangles around her face, her pale face contrasting with the blue of her eyes. She took one hesitant step towards us, and I reached out my hand to her. Nervously, she came forward, taking my hand as her eyes darted from turtle to turtle.

"My sons, I would like to introduce you to Kage," I began. "Kage, these are my sons, whom I'm sure you already know. Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello."

"You're real," Mikey gasped, shocked. He was quickly smacked upside the head. "Hey!"

"Forgive him, he's and idiot. Nice to meet you," Donatello smiled.

"I've heard a lot about you Kage, it's nice to finally put a face to a name," Raphael chuckled.

Leonardo was silent, studying Kage carefully. I hoped he wasn't about to do something he'd regret, but with my sons that option was never fully off the table. He opened his mouth to speak as a different voice spoke up.

"FREEZE!"

The group turned to find Captain Mortu and his guardians flood into the tunnel.

"Oh never mind, it seems like you've caught our little thief. By Utromian law, I place this girl under arrest!"


	20. A Nice Little Confrontation

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. More like flabbergasted, really.

To say I babbled like a youngling after hearing Mortu's verdict, as sad as it is to admit, would be absolutely correct.

To say my mind froze in disbelief, well, it is all too true.

Kage, her eyes wide in alarm, had turned to run the minute Captain Mortu found us. She barely made it three steps before she was surrounded. I worried she was about to cry, her eyes screamed panic. She tried to run, a desperate last action, but tripped over a stone, falling to her knees.

I was astounded when she did not utter a cry, not one of anger or of resignation, she did not utter a sound. She did not bang her fists on the ground, she did not move. After all her years of running, I began to question whether she _could_ run any longer.

"W-What is the meaning of this?" I stammered at the Captain.

"This, my friend, is the Utromian Justice Force apprehending a wanted fugitive. I thank you for your service in this matter," Captain Mortu replied calmly, a smile on his weary face.

"B-But that is _Kage_! You must be mistaken," I responded, feeling flustered.

"Wait, you _knew_ about this girl? Why did you lie earlier?" Mortu demanded, shocked. I knew what he was thinking, how could _I_, a living moral compass, allow such a travesty to occur in my own home? Under my own nose?

"I did not know," I responded honestly, shaking my head in disbelief. Kage, a girl I considered my own daughter, a traitor? A conspirator? A thief? How could this even _be_?

"I believe you my friend. I am sure she passed herself off as an ally, that can be the only way she stayed under the radar so long," Mortu sighed.

I watched as the floating Captain headed towards the silent girl, as he commanded her to rise to her feet and look at him.

Obedient as ever, Kage stood up.

"Tell me, why did you steal the amulet? Where is it?" Captain Mortu asked calmly, waiting. Kage just looked at her feet, caked and covered with mud and grime. _Poor girl,_ I thought sadly.

"Answer me, please."

Kage slowly raised her eyes to look at the Captain, her eyes dull. She had given up the fight, I had seen that look in so many warriors eyes before. When faced with an impossible task, one you could not complete, hopeless and despair entered many a warrior's heart_, _tainting them. It seemed Kage had fell into this sort of situation as well.

Her time of running was over.

"I-I didn't," Kage finally whispered, and everyone winced hearing her. It had nothing to do with her statement, but her _voice_...Even I had to admit it was terrible. If you combined the sounds of rocks smashing together, a car crash, and nails on a chalk board, you would get the half way point to Kage's voice.

It was simply terrible.

Her voice was long gone, what was left made you want to cringe.

Even Mortu had trouble keeping a straight face, and Kage knew her voice was grating everyone's ears. _Poor girl, _I thought again.

"Then where did you get it? If you didn't steal it yourself?" Mortu continued, and I looked at Kage curiously. I knew she couldn't be a thief, not a true thief at least, so that left one vital question to be answered: Where _did_ she get the amulet?  
"Mama..." Kage murmured, her eyes falling back to the floor. "Mama gave it to me..."

"And where is your mother?" Mortu pressed, looking at the human girl suspiciously.

"Gone..."

"Gone where, exactly?" Mortu pressed.

"Passed on...You kill her," Kage whispered, tears glittering in her eyes.

Mortu seemed shocked by the response, drifting a little away from the girl.

"But, that's impossible. We're a peaceful race, we prefer prisoners..." Mortu was at a loss, not sure how to deal with this situation.

In the Captain's momentary lapse of attention, Kage jerked free of her two captors, and started running.

"After her!" Mortu exclaimed, alarmed. I knew what was going through his mind, how could she escape from me _again_?

"I don't think so," Raphael said calmly, and I turned to see my sons take positions in the tunnel to combat the flood of incoming Utrom goons. My heart swelled in pride, they were going to protect her! They were going to protect Kage!

The resulting battle lasted less than five minutes, long enough for me to know Kage was gone, disappeared into the sewers and to learn one thing:

Even if you've saved the word multiple times, been to the past, present, _and_ future, defeated a centuries old villain who kept coming back, dealt with aliens, fought for fame and glory, and maintained a some what healthy brotherly bond, you can still be defeated.


	21. The Tale of Laura Sumner

Why did I take this job? _I griped, hanging upside down. _I really didn't need to take this job, I WANTED to be home with my baby. But NO, of course not...Then again, I probably would've come even if the three mil WASN'T on the table...

_I carefully lowered myself until my hands reached the desk beneath me, and with a click I flipped onto my feet while unhooking myself from the harness. I stood on the wooden desk, looking around myself oh so carefully. I had been warned the floor had been rigged with some motion detectors, lovely, and of course the little red beams criss crossing the floor didn't help anything. _

_I pouted in annoyance. What did I expect? Somewhat highly intelligent alien beings to make my life easy? Yeah right. _Besides,_ I grinned, _who actually LIKES the easy way? It's just so BORING. _I looked around myself for the motion detector. For once, it looked like luck was on my side because I found it so easily, and it was barely within my reach. I turned the motion sensors off, but the beams stayed on the ground. _Oh well, looks like it's time for hopscotch!

_I carefully hopped onto the floor, standing like a crane. I giggled as I moved to the next square, feeling almost like a ballerina as I made my way across the booby trapped floor. _Too easy._ I chuckled. _

_I navigated my way out of that particular mine field, and then checked my map. Most little adventures of mine were problematic because I never really knew where I was going. Oh, I always had a general idea, but my opponents were never nice enough to leave a flashing arrow pointing to my prize. On second thought, why would they? I WAS trying to steal from them._

_Most of my 'missions' were fairly straightforward, and I never got caught. I wasn't called the Shadow Thief for no reason, after all! But for once, my talent caught the eyes of someone higher up in the criminal underworld. My new employer was a shadow walker himself, I never even knew his name. What I did know was that he would tear me limb from limb if I failed, or would just let my new captors do the honors for him if I got captured. _

_But I'd never been captured, and wasn't about to start._

_Besides, my baby would miss me terribly! If you can't have love in this world, then what's left for you?_

_But either way, I would get back to my baby after I pulled one last stunt. With the money from this job, I could retire, have a normal life. _

_The job seemed simple until my new boss threw a wrench in it: It was on a whole other planet. Turns out, there ARE aliens in the galaxy. Really, really, really weird looking ones to boot. They basically looked like living flesh on floating disks, and the worst part was that they could talk! Guts and gore should NOT be able to talk. I guess it was a good thing I was sent to burgle a necklace off them..._

_Apparently, I was supposed to find an amulet. I would know it was the one I was looking for because of two very important things: It would catch my attention (a huge ruby on a solid gold chain would probably catch ANYONE'S attention) and it would be heavily guarded by a brigade of alien protectors. _

_Sounds like fun._

_The boss sent me into space on some intergalactic whose-e-whatsit platform or whatever, and I ended up on top of the research and development center that the necklace was being stored in. Personally, I would've locked it away in a vault for safe keeping, or at least behind a couple feet thick glass plate, but leaving it lying around probably made my life easier. _

_Using an open vent, I had gotten into the building, traipsing the compound through what had to be air ducts. But could living flesh breath? DID aliens breathe? Now, THAT was a good question. After finding a nearby hallway close to my necklace (the armed guard was a pretty good indicator), I had lowered myself down and here I was. _

_The whole 'Getting-The-Armed-Guard-Away-From-My-Prize' was the only real problem. But as I'm sure you know, ANY problem can be solved with C-4._

_A BANG exploded down in the air ducts, the sound ricocheting around the building and taking everyone by surprise. The guards all ran to find out where the attack was going on, and I gleefully slipped into the room. I necklace was just as pretty as I imagined, with light sparkling off the ruby. The gold chain had little runes decorating it, and I absently wondered what it meant as I reached to pick it up._

_Nothing in life is easy, and when victory seems near, trust me, it isn't._

_The minute I picked the necklace up, an alarm deafened me. I clapped my hands over my ears, running to get away as fast as possible. I SO did not want to be deaf! What kind of thief is DEAF? I would be a laughingstock in criminal society! Losing your hearing on a job...One you chose to undertake in the first place...I could already hear the laughter._

_I headed towards the roof where a portal stood waiting. It wasn't a platform thingamabob, but it worked just as well. I ran through it just as the alien things stormed the roof, and it winked out right as they reached it._

_The portal spit me out in an ally, and grumbling I stood up. _

_My boss wasn't there, no one was. _

_I looked around myself nervously. Where was he? What was taking him? _

_I waited only a few minutes before getting the heck outta there, because I know one thing for certain: If and when your boss (whom everyone cowers in fear at the feet of said criminal) doesn't show up, you run...Because whatever got your boss is coming after you._

_I headed home, stuffing the necklace in my pocket. My home was an apartment in a complex that sounded like a senor citizens' care facility: Tranquil Haven. I opened the door without knocking, humming to myself as I closed the door and locked it with all three bolts I had put in (just in case). _

"_I'm home, baby!" I called out, waiting to hear the love of my life respond._

"_Mommy!" a grinning seven year old exclaimed, running into my outstretched arms._

"_Sweetie pie," I hugged my daughter tight to me. She was the reason I risked my life for pretty baubles like the amulet, so I could give her a better life. "How are you? How was your day? Did you have fun at school?" I asked, fussing over my baby girl as I lead her to the kitchen to make dinner._

"_It was okay, but a mean boy picked on me for loosing my tooth yesterday," her daughter pouted, but brightened a second later as she took something out of her pocket. "Look! The Tooth Fairy left me a quarter!" _

"_Oh my goodness, you're so lucky. Can I see?" I asked, and my baby handed over the quarter eagerly. "Oh, it's a state quarter too. Hawaii, how exotic is that?"_

_My baby girl just gasped in delight, clapping her little hands together._

_My daughter looked a lot like me, with long brown hair pulled back into a pink bow and clever little blue eyes. She had a couple of freckles on her face, and a grin on her face. Her missing tooth was one of her front ones, and her usual happy smile was now just a little less toothy. She was wearing a pink dress to match the bow, with cute little heart shaped pockets on the front. My baby girl was just so adorable!_

"_Do you want to see what I found today?" I asked, pulling the necklace out of my pocket. My little girl's blue eyes widened, and she grinned. _

"_It's really pretty, Mommy," she breathed._

"_Do you want to try it on?" I asked, and my daughter nodded excitedly. I unclasped the chain, and placed it around her neck. If only I had payed closer attention to the way it clicked shut with such finality, the way it clicked so firmly shut..._

"_It's so pretty," my baby said in awe._

_If only I knew how important this necklace was, that it's owners would try to move Heaven and Earth to find it again. If I only knew they would come storming after us, send my baby girl and I into hiding, I never would have even allowed myself to take the job._

_Who am I kidding, I would've done it anyway. _


	22. A Little Bit of This and That

Kage felt a sob rise in her throat as she lost herself in darkness. The sewers were her home, and it wrapped the girl in its comforting embrace as she felt tears trickle down her face. She had seen Mr. Splinter's face when she had been called a thief...He had been so shocked, so disappointed. She didn't want to let him down, not after all he had done for her! And to be called a thief in his presence, to be considered a low life...

The sobs were soundless, and finally Kage dropped to her knees, defeated.

Sewer water crashed into her, staining her once dry clothes, making the girl feel worse about herself. She might as well be a sewer rat for all she was worth...Not that a sewer rat was a particularly bad choice, Mr. Splinter seemed to be fine with it...

_Why didn't I just jump off the bridge? End all this..._? Kage wanted to cry, but her cheeks were already tear stained, her heart tattered and battered, her body so tired from everything. She had become a living ghost, so alone, never being noticed, always being hidden...She might as well not exist...

But as long as the necklace was around her, she would always be a target. Somebody would be waiting for her to slip up, just one more time, just one little mess up to ruin her life...again.

Kage cried into her hands, her body racked with sobs, until she eventually just picked herself up and moved to higher ground, away from the water, so she could sleep a dreamless sleep.

~(0)~

"Harboring a wanted fugitive, obstructing justice in an intergalactic burglary, aiding and abetting a criminal, _lying to a friend_," Mortu ranted, floating back and forth in front of four turtles and their Master Splinter. "How dare you? My friends, how could you come to lie to me? I considered you to be Champions of Truth on a corrupt world, but to discover you are more than a liar is just mortifying!"

"We didn't-" Leonardo spoke up, but was cut off.

"Silence! You could have stepped aside to allow justice to run its course, but NO! Do you not understand how important this is? Or have you forgotten the meaning of integrity? Of honesty?" Mortu demanded of the four brothers. "Why did you stop my comrades? Why did you take that girl's side when you _knew_ she was to be apprehended for justice's sake?! Why would you align yourselves with the enemy?!"

The brothers shared a look, and then Michelangelo spoke up.

"She's family."

Mortu sighed, seeming to shake his head.

"It does not matter if this girl was family, she is a fugitive-"

"Technically, only her mother is the wanted fugitive. Kage herself was just an unknowing victim," Donatello chimed in.

"She is an accomplice, as you so eloquently stated," Mortu smiled patronizingly. "And is therefore still a person of interest, and is therefore still a wanted person."

"You cannot be serious," Master Splinter said. "You spoke to her, you saw her pain! This was not a fight she was born into, rather thrown in at a young age! You cannot continue a pursuit that has scarred her beyond belief."

"You should be glad I haven't arrested all five of you by authorization of my home world!You should be glad I haven't filed sanctions on this whole planet!" Mortu exclaimed angrily. And then he muttered, more to himself than anyone, "Why is it _Earth_ is the continual arena for intergalactic troubles and woes? Why?"

"Maybe we can be mutually beneficial to each other," Master Splinter began, looking at the over worked Utromian calmly.

"And how would you propose that?"

"We will retrieve Kage, and you can get your necklace back. She should still trust us, my sons _did_ defend her after all," Mortu could see the pleased gleam in the rat's eyes at that fact. "And she should still be wanting a safe haven. Dispel your troops from these trenches, and when she feels safe again we will pull her back into our home. You may conduct whatever interviews you please, while one of my sons can oversee, of course, and you can also undo the clasp binding the necklace to Kage. Does that sound most agreeable?"

Sometimes, Mortu was sure Master Splinter was a diplomat undercover on Earth...

"It sounds like a good plan, in which we can both achieve what we want."

Mortu felt himself become formal as he responded to his friend, and could see the twitch of a smirk on Splinter's face.

"Agreed, now pull back your men."

~(0)~

She was sleeping.

The poor little girl, she had finally collapsed from over exhaustion. The little brunette was covered in sewer water, but she was sleeping as fitfully as if she was asleep on a king mattress in cozy warm clothes. The poor girl, so tired, always on the run, never with anyone to hold her hand, to tell her it would get better.

No one to tell her she was loved.

Safe.

I sighed, feeling my heart break. All alone throughout the long years, never with a friend, I couldn't imagine how she did it. I hadn't meant to get hurt in that raid, to make my baby girl run away from the Utromians, away from _me..._

It had been an accident, even the greats must fall sometime. I had gotten hit with a laser beam, or some sort of similar weapon, and had been almost mortally wounded. The Utromians focused on my baby girl, not the woman bleeding out on the floor, and my baby girl bolted. We had been staying with a friend, so she had to call 9-1-1. My friend, bless her heart, had covered for me, and said it had been a robbery gone wrong.

I think the police are still searching for that 'burglar'...

Hehe.

When I got out of the hospital, which was a really long time (almost fatal injuries tend to require extensive hospital time, not to mention rehab that I was forced to endure) and by the time I got out, it was to late.

My little sweetie pie, my darling, was gone. She took everything I had taught her and became a shadow girl. She would've made a great thief, if there had been time to teach her.

If _I _had been there to teach her.

I had to be the world's (or is it worlds, since there's more than one?) worst mother, and to think all of this was my fault. If I hadn't taken the gig, if I hadn't gone to a distant planet I couldn't even remember the name of, then things might have been different. If I had just taken the Buckingham Palace job instead. It's not like the Queen needs _all_ of those jewels...

My baby girl had to grow up scared, lost, confused, alone.

I had to age regretting my choices. Every day I cursed my fortune, knowing I would probably never see my darling sweetie pie again.

But I still looked.

I had friends in not so nice places watching out for her, friends all over the city who owed me a favor or two, and a scientist friend who was watching out for any trace of intergalactic teleportation to Earth.

Boy did the last one pay off.

It's not like I didn't know the turtles were down here. They make to much of a mess topside for New Yorkians _not_ to notice them! Really, if you want to battle gang violence then just get a badge. Dealing with vigilantes and 'Night Watchers' (more like Night Terrors), weirdos and whack jobs, and those shells for brains really thought they were being sneaky? Just because you weren't broadcasted all over the news doesn't mean the world above doesn't know you exist.

_Hm, I wonder if that's that a double negative..._

I shook my head, approaching my daughter. She didn't stir, and I was so thankful she was finally getting a good night's rest. I lowered myself to the floor, taking a seat beside my baby girl. I ran my fingers over her matted hair, tsking at the disrepair and split-ins, sighing at her pale skin, a smile at how grown up she was. I reached for the chain around her neck, knowing I would finally be able to correct my terrible mistake.


	23. A Shadowy Encounter

"Kage!" My voice echoed in the darkness, bouncing off the walls and back toward me. I sighed, I had been searching for the girl for an hour now, and she had not made herself known in that time frame. My sons had allowed her to escape, and it seemed that was how it was going to stay.

"Kage!" I called out again, leaning on my cane. I had been searching for her, but she didn't want to be found...

Captain Mortu was expecting me to bring her back with me, but I hadn't thought about what I would do if Kage refused to show herself. He had pulled back his men to their space ship, as I had asked, and now it was my turn to hold up my end of the deal.

Only, it was appearing I wouldn't be able to.

"Kage!" I called out again, a tinge of desperation entering my tone.

"Kage, Kage, Kage, would you ever shut up?" a voice grumbled in annoyance, apparently trying to mimic my voice. "Could you ever be quiet? The poor girl's trying to sleep. Do you even have an inkling of a clue as to how rare that is? So, just do me this favor, and _shut up_!"

"Who is there?" I demanded, searching the shadows for the stranger. I didn't recognize the voice, which put me on edge. I didn't like not knowing who I was dealing with, it was better to lay the cards out on the table. "Who are you? Answer me!

"A stranger, a friend, a companion when needed," the voice seemed to shrug, bouncing off the walls like my voice had. "A trouble maker and a saint, depending on the situation."

"An actress," I clarified.

"How insightful," the voice giggled. "But as for who I am, let's just say I'm a friend...Or you I guess you could consider me one."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"So suspicious! Do you ever just let yourself relax? Really, you need a chill pill."

I felt my fur bristle in annoyance.

"I do not need-"

"What you need," the voice broke in. "Is this."

A clattering sound ricocheted in the tunnel, and my head snapped toward the noise. Just because a sound can seem innocent does not necessarily mean it is. A fallen rock can sound similar to a misstep of a enemy.

"Chill! Seriously, if I wanted to hurt you do you think I would be talking to you right now? Don't you think I would have attacked by now? Really, the bad guys always come storming into battle, they don't act smart and lay out a good battle plan. Don't you think I would have done that by now? Trust me, I'm an ally. A friend."

"Come out of the shadows, if you are a friend."

I was still unsure of this stranger, her demeanor suggested that she seemed to know something I didn't...And that was never a good thing.

"Get what I dropped, and then go home. Trust me, some things are better when you don't know."

"I would have to disagree," I muttered, heading toward where the clattering sound had originally come from. The dim light of the sewer seemed to reflect off something on the ground, glittering. I reached one clawed hand to the object, fingering the object hesitantly. I picked whatever it was up, the sound of a chain dragging on the ground as I lifted it up.

_A necklace._

My eyes widened in shock as I took it in. It seemed to match the description Captain Mortu had given in regards to the necklace he was searching for!

"How did you get this?" I asked quietly. It _had_ been around Kage's neck... "What did you do to her?" I demanded, glaring into the shadows.

"Don't look for her," the shadows said calmly. "I'm taking her away from this place. She doesn't belong down here, and you know that. She deserves to feel the sunshine on her face, the freedom to laugh, the love of her mother."

"Shouldn't Kage decide that for herself?" I demanded, angry that this stranger was going to take my daughter away. "And how dare you speak of her mother? She passed away some time ago."

"Tell Mortu to go home, he's got enough problems without my interference. Tell him I never looked at whatever's in that necklace, and that he'll just have to trust me on that. Tell the boys to be a bit more careful topside, or just make their presence known. They're not exactly stealth material, if you know what I mean." The voice was calm, almost friendly. Who was this person?

"Show yourself," I asked softly, looking for a darker shape in the shadows.

"Only for you, and because you helped my baby girl."

In the corner of my eye, I saw a person step out of the shadows. I turned towards the woman, taking a step away in shock. It looked like Kage had aged twenty years in a moment, but I knew better.

This was Kage's mother.

Her dark brown hair was left down, framing her tanned face and sea blue eyes. A red painted smile was on her face, her eyes glittered with warmth and mischief, and I knew that this woman was usually 'up to no good'.

"Thank you for taking care of her," the red painted lips parted, saying the simple sentence with all the gratitude a mother could express. The second the last word left her mouth, she was gone, disappearing into the shadows. I knew one thing for certain as I felt the necklace in my hand:

I would never see this woman again.

Or Kage.


	24. The Send Off

"How did you get this?" Mortu asked in shock, looking at the necklace in awe.

"I'd prefer not to give a detailed explanation," I responded ruefully. How could I tell him that Kage's _mother_ had given it to me? And that she was leaving with Kage, and that there was no way that he would find either of them? Or that Kage's mother was better at hiding in the shadows than her daughter? Or that she took the necklace off her daughter herself? But mostly, I just had no words to express the encounter that could truly sum it up. I was still trying to figure out how I felt on the matter, not to mention mentally.

How that woman seemed to like playing games.

How she came out of nowhere, and gave riddles to explain herself.

That she had the necklace.

How she basically told Captain Mortu and his men to get lost.

"Believe me when I say it is to confusing for words," I told him when he looked like he would object. "Just trust me."

"Since you returned the lost necklace, I will trust you and your judgement," Captain Mortu replied quietly, looking at the necklace in shock.

"What _is_ on the necklace anyway?" Michelangelo piped up.

"Michelangelo, if our friend wanted us to know, he would have told us. Sometimes, secrets are best kept that, a secret."

"Yes Sensei..."

"It has been a delight to have you back on Earth, Mortu," I turned back toward the alien visitor.

"I would not say a delight, Splinter," Mortu chuckled. "Interesting, to say the least, but I would not go so far as to say a delight. Remember, I'm letting wanting fugitives go. I'll have to come up with some explanation as to why I did what I did."

"I'm sure my sons can come up with something. They are 'imaginative' like that."

"Score! We get to write Utromian history!" Michelangelo cheered, and was quickly bonked on the head by one of his brothers.

"Mikey!" Leonardo hissed. "We are not-"

"No, please, I would love to hear what you can come up with," Captian Mortu smiled.

"Um, there was an intergalactic invasion taking place while you were apprehending the violent criminals, and they were saved by their fellow evil doers. No, wait! They actually had super powers and were able to get out of their bonds! Or maybe-"

"Remember to breath, Mikey," Raphael snorted.

"You were never able to find them," Leonardo spoke up. "The criminals, overcome with guilt, spoke their coordinates into the necklace and left it there to be aqcuired by its original owner. You were able to get the necklace, but not its theives. The girl you originally thought was the criminal was just so terror stricken seeing aliens that she freaked and made a run for it. Her family had been tangled up with your kind before, so she harbored a hatred for you as well, which was why she said you killed her mother."

There was dead silence.

"That is a brilliant excuse if I ever heard one," Mortu finally spoke. "And it should work."

"Leonardo came up with it, it will work," I affirmed.

"It is time for me to depart. It has been a pleasure to see you again. Maybe next time there will not be a fugitive to be caught, or a family to destroy."

"A quiet reunion is in order, not a chaotic one," I agreed. "I wish you a safe journey, my friend."

"And I wish the same for you," Mortu nodded. "Good luck on your quest to becoming warriors," he turned to the four turtles. "The road is long, and rarely will you find the end. There is always something to learn. I wish you a safe journey as well."

"And to you," Leonardo smiled.

A portal burst to life in the middle of the lair, an the Captain floated on over to it.

"Good bye!" the Hamato's waved as their friend disappeared into the portal. The portal shut close with a snap, and they all let out a collective breath. While it had been nice to see Mortu again, it had definitely been a hectic time.

"So, did you find her?" Donatello asked me. My sad smile was all the answer he needed.

"She...Will not be coming back," I said, just to finalize that thought. "She will be fine though, she is in good hands."

"Wait, what do you mean? Whose hands?" Leonardo asked, confused.

"There is nothing to worry about, Leonardo," I said simply, heading over to the couch and sitting down. I had been on my feet for quite a while, and it was time to watch some stories! "Now, I must ask, are you four going to stay in four different houses, or do you want to come home?"

My sons shared a look, and I awaited their decision as I picked up the remote control.


	25. An Interesting Day

"Sensei? Can you come here please?" Donatello's voice called, and I turned toward my technology driven son. His face was one of confusion, and I asked the first question that popped into my mind:

"What is the matter, my son?"

"Well, um, you got mail," Donatello's astonished voice replied. My eyebrows rose in confusion, only in part to the mail explanation. My son was at the computer, so he must have been talking about that unusual new mail service called 'email'. I did not have one of these 'emails', nor did I know how to use one.

"You must be mistaken," I shook my head. Of all my sons, Donatello knew how against technology I was. Why would I have gotten myself one those 'email' contraptions? What ever happened to simply writing a letter? It was much more personal, and worth so much more than a two sentenced reply.

"Um, I'm not," Donatello was shock stricken serious, and he looked like he was trying to figure out a complicated equation...which was never a good thing, usually. "'To That Weird Rat Guy Splinter'," Donatello read from the screen. "There are no other mutant rats that I know of, and even if I did I'm sure they wouldn't have your name."

I moved toward my son, and he vacated the computer chair so I could sit down.

I looked at where Donatello's finger was pointing, to a line that read in the subject line: 'To That Weird Rat Guy Splinter'. I looked at the sender's name: Laura Sumner.

_Do I know a Laura Sumner? I don't believe I know anyone by that name._

"I do not know this woman," I told my son, shaking my head, puzzlement in my tone.

"Just read the email, because she clearly knows you," Donatello responded, and opened up the email for my perusal before leaving me alone with the electronic letter. I still preferred handwritten notes and letters to this online artificial one.

_Dear Splinter,_

_ Let me guess, you don't got a clue as to who I am. That's okay, I'll mend my broken heart somehow. Maybe by the end of this you'll have an idea as to my identity, but if you don't that's alright._

_We only met once after all._

_It's been a couple weeks since we met, and I'm sure you're happy to have things back to being relatively normal. No more 'visitors', and your boys are back under your roof! _

_Or is it concrete since you're underground?_

_Well, as for me and my daughter, we're doing pretty good. I took the couple thousand mile trek to reach the West Coast, and I absolutely love it! Besides, my baby and I needed to put some distance between our past. Why let that ruin the future? Hollywood isn't as fun as I thought, more tourist trap than anything. I think I'll take my little girl and come half-way back. I was thinking Oklahoma, Kansas maybe. _

_ My baby girl is slowly getting better, but has a while to go. I put her into speech therapy, told them that she took a vow of silence when she was little or something like that. She says to tell you hi, and that she hopes giving up her necklace kept you and the boys safe. _

_ I kinda miss the big city. It always was fun, so much mischief to be found! But, I bet you'll be glad to hear I haven't gotten into that much trouble since we parted ways. Congrats, you were able to keep the Shadow Thief in line. _

_ For now at least._

_ I just thought I'd give you an update on what's been going on. Do you know who I am? Or my baby girl? She really does wish she could have said good bye. Or at least wrote it down, she really does not like to talk anymore. Such a shame, she was a total chatterbox child. Oh, and that little nickname you gave her, you were close. Her name's Krista._

_ Remember to cut loose every now and then, Splinter my dear. Life wasn't made to be boring, there's to much fun stuff out there!_

_ Best Regards and Winking Grins,_

_ Laura Sumner, retired thief and mother of a shadow girl_

I blinked, rereading the letter immediately. _Laura Sumner? Who was-Who was Laura Sumner?_ I was confused, but starting to put the pieces together.

Especially the part about her daughter.

"Krista, her name was Krista..." I murmured, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Booyah! Level thirty three, baby! Yes!" Mikey shouted, jumping up and doing a victory dance as he cleared another video game level.

Yes, they had come back. They decided they didn't like being apart, when all they had known was each others company. My house now didn't know a moment of peace, and it might as well have been like the four boys were teenagers. Donatello's inventions blew up on a regular basis, Raphael was destroying punching bags and fixing motorcycles, Michelangelo was a video game-a-holic, and Leonardo was forcing himself to become an even better martial artist and leader.

Despite their faults, they were on their way to becoming great people.

"Who's Krista?" Raphael asked as he passed by my chair, wiping grease off his hands. _He must have been with his mechanical toys... _

"My daughter, her name was Krista."

"Wait, you mean Kage?" Leonardo broke in, startled to hear that name again. I had been sure I would never see my daughter again, but here was her mother, emailing me as if we were pen pals.

"Yes. Her name is Krista. Krista Sumner..." I trailed off, still shocked to finally know her name. Even though I had her true name now, I was certain she would always be Kage to me. I doubted she would mind if I continued to call her Kage, that was who she was to me.

Krista, while an elegant name, was not the girl I had come to love as a daughter.

"What are you all talking about?" Michelangelo pouted, seeing his three brothers and I standing together.

"How to send you to military school, what else?" Raphael snorted.

"You can't send a legal adult to military school," Michelangelo responded loftily, and then he looked a little unsure. "You can't, can you?"

Raphael just shrugged in his signature way that seemed to say, 'I don't know, can I?'

"So, it was Kage who emailed you?" Donatello asked surprised.

"No, her mother sent the 'email'," I shook my head. I still could not understand the demand for such informal communication systems, but I did know I was going to follow the rest of the population as I asked one question. "My son, how do I send one of these emails?"


	26. The Coffee Shop

The aroma of coffee was everywhere, filling noses with the sweet smell of coffee in the morning. The clack of typing filled the little coffee shop, and people were laughing and chatting happily. You could almost call this shop picturesque, the way that elegant trees rose over the establishment, and flowers grew in well kept pots around the outside of the building. Everyone was carefree, and everyone seemed to be in high spirits.

One woman, however, was leaning back in her chair, an amused little smile on her face. She kept in a little giggle before just closing her eyes and shaking her head. The woman reached out for her frappachino, taking a sip of deliciousness before pressing a button on her computer and reading the latest email in her inbox.

_Ms. Sumner,_

_ Hello, how are you? Is the Midwest treating you well? I thank you for your email in regards to your well being. I did worry over Kage's health and well being, but you have helped settle some worries I harbored about her. I wish to see her again, as long as you allow it. I would like permission to come to your location, to see her. I would be bringing my sons as well, I do not trust leaving them alone in the city without supervision. They may seem to be adults, but are far from it. _

_I will wait for your reply and decision._

_Sincerely,_

_Splinter Hamato_

Laura let out a a giggle, closing her laptop with a bemused grin. _Always so formal, I thought he might loosen up a bit, but I guess not. And he still calls her Kage, how cute..._

Laura stood up, smoothing out the nonexistent wrinkles in her form fitting gray dress as she did so. Laura picked up her frappachino, and headed for the glass door to leave. Her classy heels clicked against the ground as she walked, and she kept a composed expression as she headed out.

She was residing in a small town, a place literally called 'Smallville'. It was quaint, but odd things had been happening lately, some very strange things indeed...

Laura thought about Splinter's proposal again, and it did seem fair. She _had_ just taken her daughter in the middle of the night and left the Big Apple without a single look back.

Okay, maybe one last look.

Actually, it had to have been more like four or six...

Laura crossed the road to reach a little bookstore across the street. Krista had wanted to stop in for a moment, and even though it had pained Laura to let her little girl out of her sight, she had let her daughter be independent.

Besides, she was just going to be across the street. If anything happened, she would know instantly.

Krista was sitting on a little orange chair, her nose in a book. Laura smiled, happy to see her daughter happy.

"Krista, baby," Laura spoke up, and Krista jerked up, startled. Her mother let out a little chuckle, smiling. Krista smiled sheepishly, closing the book to give her mother her undivided attention. "I thought you were a shadow girl. My, my, you haven't lost your touch, now have you?" Krista's mother teased.

"I-I found a good book," Krista replied, her voice quiet, but coming out unbroken. All the speech therapy was paying off!

"That's great, sweetie pie!" Laura enthused. "Guess who emailed me?" she asked her daughter, beaming mischievously.

"You-You're not taking a job, are you?" Krista asked, her face dropping into one of worry and disappointment, sadness.

"Oh, don't be silly, honey," Laura tsked. "I've learned my lesson, I'm not going anywhere. Well, actually, yes I am. And so are you."

"Huh?"

"Time to go home, my sweet heart. We're headed for New York."


	27. A Nice Little Chat

_I guess I always was just a teensy bit selfish. It's not like I set out to be the Queen of Selfishia, it just ended up that way. I was always the one who got what she wanted, but in the end, can I say it was worth it? That being myself, and getting exactly what I wanted, worked out well?_

_Let's just say the Wanted by Federal Agents poster wasn't doing me any favors..._

My baby girl was laughing, tossing a Frisbee through the air in the park. She grinned at me, and I waved back, sighing in contentment. For once we were doing sometime relatively normal.

Except, we were sitting in the park at night, my baby girl was throwing a Frisbee with four giant mutant turtles, and I was sitting next to a meditating mutant rat.

Yep, normal.

The red masked turtle, Donatello I think his name was, caught the Frisbee from my daughter and then tossed it toward Michelangelo, the blue bandana'd one. They seemed to be having fun, and I was so happy to hear my daughter giggle uncontrollably. The four turtles, ever the adults, were taunting each other with a passion. Leonardo was called slow, Donatello called an idiot, Raphael was told he wasn't even trying, and Michelangelo was called the original show off.

I smiled sadly, wishing I could have given Krista this experience her whole life long. What kind of mother awards could I win anyway? Best criminal acrobat? Kick-butt thief?

"What troubles you, Ms. Sumner?"

My eyes glanced in the rat's direction. He had apparently come out of his meditative state without telling me...

"I already told ya, It's Laura. When I hear someone say, 'Ms. Sumner', I think of my mother. Do I look that old?" I demanded of the ninja master.

"...No."

"Then don't talk to me like I'm sixty-three!" I exclaimed.

"...I doubt that the name is what troubles you," Splinter finally murmured.

I huffed out a breath, falling into the grass behind me and letting out a groan. Splinter gave me a minute to throw a tantrum, and then I sat up, gesturing to my baby girl.

"Krista?" Splinter inquired, puzzled. "She is what ails you? Your daughter?"

I could hear the disbelief in his voice, and I just gave him a look.

"Am I a terrible mother?" I blurted out, and the rat just looked at me like I was loosing it.

"I'm sorry?"

"I let my only living heir live in the _sewers_ for _years_ all because my profession wasn't exactly what you would call 'respectable' and I got an _alien race _on her tail because I might've borrowed a necklace I shouldn't have known existed in the first place! And not to mention the fact she basically lost all her vocal cords trying to be quiet, and of course meeting you and your boys, and having to live in _DARKNESS_ for _YEARS _because of it!" I exploded in a ramble.

"I-"

"Oh, and my daughter still thinks I'm as irresponsible as I was back then. What does that say about me? I haven't changed at all, have I? What if the state takes Kristie away from me? I'd just die! I got her back, after all these years, and I would simply double over and _die_ if they took her from me!"

"Ms. Sum-" I gave him a hard look, and he stumbled over his words. "Laura," he said, and I knew he had trouble saying a first name. Why be prim and proper all the time? Whatever happened to chilling anyway? "The state will not take her away, for the same reason they would not consider taking my sons. As far as the state is concerned, our children do not exist."

"Exactly! And what if she wants to get married? She'll be a ghost! She'll have no paperwork! She'll be just as bad as a border hopper! The law will just throw her in jail to rot!" I wailed, throwing my head back to shout at the sky. "What kind of life is that? And what if she becomes a jail bird? What if-"

"_Laura._"

"Yes?"

"Calm your mind, you're overwhelming yourself."

"Overwhelmed? _Overwhelmed_? Are you kidding?"

"Your daughter will be fine, she was raised by both you and I. She was raised honing her instincts, being able to rely on herself and her surroundings, to be wise beyond her years. She knows things teenagers her age have no clue about, and is able to outwit four ninjas. I know she will be fine."

"...You always know what to say!" I cried happily, throwing my arms around him. He stiffened in my hug, and then loosened up to pat my back lightly.

"I still think I messed up somewhere," I mused. "Maybe it was the whole thief thing."

"And how do you propose to fix it?" Splinter asked.

"You want a daughter?"


	28. The End

Krista Sumner sighed in contentment, lounging in her home beneath the city streets. A giggle bubbled out as she watched Mikey attempt a 360 on his skateboard...and fall off.

Her brother was pretty funny when he wasn't trying.

"Krista, it's time for your lessons!" Donny called, and the brunette let out a sigh of boredom.

"Do I have to?" Krista whined, her blue eyes pouting.

"Yes," Donny replied, ever the responsible one. "You are still a minor, and minors are required by law to attend a scholarly venue to attain an education."

"Dude, she don't exist," Raph shouted out, taking the girl's side. "But why don't you teach her some math anyway?"

Krista heard the smile in his voice, even if he was punching a bag a room away.

"But math is _boring_," Krista groaned, looking at her purple masked brother. "Why do I need to learn it?"

"Well, in case you're trapped inside a video game and you need to break down the programming to escape," Donny replied, completely serious.

"That never happens," Krista grinned, then her laugh petered out when her older brother didn't let out a chuckle. "Does it?" She asked nervously.

Silence.

"Now, I know you're old enough to be in High School, but your math skills are still in the early middle school, late elementary range. We're going to focus on the basics today," Donatello continued, going into teacher mode.

"But we've been focusing on the basics!"

"Exactly," Donny replied smugly. "And you're finally grasping it. After today, I'll test you on the material and you can officially graduate to pre-algebra. Sound like a plan?"

"Can we read _A Wrinkle In Time _instead?" Krista countered, shuddering at the thought of a math test.

"How about you pass my test?" her brother replied ruefully, and with an over dramaticized sigh the brunette got up from her seat to come to the table Donny was placing math books on.

"Leo," Krista whined to her eldest brother as he passed her, sheathing his katanas.

"If I have to practice, you have to practice," Leo replied, ruffling her hair as he passed her.

"But you have the fun practice, I get _math_," Krista complained, trying to get at least one of her family members to understand that math and katana practice were not the same thing.

"Krista, you're procrastinating. Just get it over with," Donny told her, and with final groan she plopped herself down at the table.

From the balcony above, Master Splinter looked down at his children with a chuckle.

The beginning integration of Krista into their tight knit family had been complicated at first. And it wasn't because of his sons for once! No, Krista had been to nervous. She was still apprehensive about being seen, and in the beginning you would see more shadows than the young girl, and you would hear the sewers more frequently than you would even hear Krista whisper.

But, as time wore on, Krista became more used to the boys, and with a forceful push from the elder rat the girl was living in the light more than the shadows.

Now, the girl acted like a true teenager.

She could complain more than Mikey with his video games taken away, she could talk faster than him, and was just about as curious as the orange bandana'd boy. In short, she was becoming a true teenager.

And true to originality, Krista was also forced to take part in the human ritual of attending school.

"I think she's doing pretty good. You know, with a background like hers and all," Raphael commented, and Master Splinter smiled in pleasure. His son had sneaked up on him, a feat not usually accomplished. The boy was indeed going to rival his elder brother one day soon...

"Yes, her educational background is indeed lacking," Master Splinter nodded in agreement. "But she is like a sponge to water. She is soaking up much at a great rate. Hopefully, she will be able to know the material her peers are learning in the world above."

"I just think Donny's glad he has someone to teach," Raphael rolled his eyes, and the rat contained a small smile himself.

Donatello had once attempted to teach his three brothers with minimal success. Even when Master Splinter forced his three other children to learn the material, it was still a hard thing to do. Brothers don't always respect each other, especially when one of the four is trying to teach calculus.

"I believe you three learned more insults than actual information under Donatello's tutelage," Master Splinter replied ruefully.

"Eh," Raphael shrugged, and both winced as Krista's piercing voice drifted up.

"But X is NOT Y!"

"Exactly! That's what I've been trying to tell you!"

"I believe we will lose our hearing before she understands this math," Master Splinter muttered.

"I'm BAAAAACKKKK!" A voice called out cheerfully, making Master Splinter turn toward the entrance to their home.

"Miss Sumner," he called down to the woman.

"Mr. Hamato," Laura replied in that same honorific way.

"Mama!" Krista jumped up, using her mother as an excuse to not finish the problem.

"So close," Master Splinter heard his young son mutter in annoyance.

"Hey baby-doll, how was your day? Did you have fun with the boys?" the older Sumner ask, hugging her daughter.

"Yep, but Donny tried to make me do math," Krista frowned.

"Well, you never know. You might get stuck in a video game and need to dismantle its programming to get out," Laura Sumner said calmly.

"...That actually happens?!" Krista asked horrified.

"So, how has the math been going? Is she getting it?" Laura replied, turning to the tutor.

"She's progressed to pre-algebra."

"Wonderful! Progress, ah how sweet to hear!" Laura Sumner grinned, her eyes gleeful. "Now, you go finish your work."

"But-"

"No buts, sweetie pie. Besides, I need to talk to the black belt on the balcony," Krista's mom continued, pushing her daughter back toward the arithmetic and heading up to the rat. "How have you been, Splinter? My little angel's not making your fur turn gray, has she?"

"Between my sons and Krista, I am surprised I do not have gray patches," Master Splinter replied, and Laura laughed in agreement. "How was your work?"

"Eh, so-so. I got the painting back, I just cut in the process. If Interpol does a global search with my DNA, I'm dead," Laura sighed, annoyed.

The Sumner woman had decided, with much urging from the moral compass that was Master Splinter, to use her powers for good, and not evil. In a very Leverage-esque way, Laura was a Robin Hood to the misfortunate, bringing back stolen goods and valuables. She tended to go after big targets, pocketing some profit for herself.

Master Splinter was just glad she was staying out of trouble.

Sorta.

So, while the mother was away, the daughter would play.

Krista was left in Splinter's capable hands when her mother had to go play humanitarian, and the arrangement was loved by both sides. Splinter was happy to be able to spend time with his daughter, and Laura didn't have to worry about where the girl would go. Krista herself loved being able to go back into the sewers, her home at one point, even though her mother had bought the duo a little house in the world above.

And Donny just loved getting to teach somebody _something_.

"Interpol usually halts their search at continent's end, but I would advise you lie low for a few weeks."

"And do what? Hang down here with you guys?" Laura smiled.

"You and Krista are always welcome," Splinter replied.

"Ah, mi casa es su casa," Laura quipped.

"Of course, family is _always_ welcome."


End file.
